Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, causes a loss of motor neurons and eventually muscle control. Starting with stiff muscles or twitches, symptoms eventually escalate to weakness and muscle wasting. Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct cure for ALS. But, marijuana can be an effective tool to combat ALS symptoms. Using medical marijuana for ALS offers a number of benefits, namely that of pain reduction and relaxation. And, as ALS is one of the 18 qualifying conditions for medical marijuana card certification in Arkansas and a qualifying condition in Missouri, you can legally obtain medical marijuana to help manage symptoms.
ALS Marijuana Research
Research for treating ALS with marijuana is still relatively new but shows some promising progress already. The federal government’s patent 6,630,507 on cannabis documents that it can be both an anti-oxidant and a neuroprotectant. The anti-oxidant properties reduce the stress on muscles that lead to their death. The neuroprotectant properties keep brain functions enduring. Together, these allow for the progression of ALS to slow by shielding motor neurons and disease activity. So, by using cannabis, patients can slow down the progress of the disease. That’s huge, as there’s little that can be done for the disease from a medical standpoint.
General Benefits
There are many other benefits for treating ALS with marijuana. The primary one is pain relief. Cannabis has anti-inflammatory effects that allow it to reduce pain in patients. Combined with the relaxation benefits of cannabis from a mental standpoint, patients can get some much-needed relief from their pain, both physically and mentally. Anxiety can be a huge concern for sufferers of the disease. Treating their ALS with medical marijuana helps reduce that stress for better coping with the disease symptoms. Cannabis can also relieve muscle spasms, which is one of the prime symptoms of early ALS.
Get Your Medical Card
All in all, treating marijuana with ALS is an incredibly effective way to manage symptoms. Thanks to the anti-oxidant and neuroprotectant properties, you can slow the progress of ALS. And, with pain, spasm, and anxiety reduction, day-to-day life becomes much easier. If you want to get medical marijuana to treat your ALS, follow our steps to begin your certification and start the journey to a medical marijuana card. Let us know if there’s anything else we can help you with. With Ozark MMJ Cards, you can manage your symptoms better.