Medical Marijuana For Multiple Sclerosis In Tennessee
Does MS Qualify for Medical Marijuana in Tennessee?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most prevalent neurological diseases, with around 400,000 Americans living with the condition. There is no known cure for MS and diagnosing the condition can be a long and difficult road that is often overlooked because of the complexity of symptoms.
Symptoms of MS are not easy to identify because they are so common.
Dizziness, muscle spasms, even headaches can be a potential symptom of MS.
Treatment plans typically focus on improving quality of life and reducing or improving the particular symptoms.
Because of how difficult it is to diagnose and treat MS, many have looked at medical marijuana for treating the symptoms of MS. Fortunately, MS is approved as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Tennessee.
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What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder that can affect the central nervous system, namely the brain and spinal cord. It can cause problems with vision, muscle control, balance, strength, thinking, and even feeling.
MS causes the gradual destruction of myelin, a protective covering on nerve cells that allow your brain and spinal cord to communicate.
By destroying the myelin in sections throughout the spinal cord and brain, plaque lesions are accumulated during the inflammation that can interfere with the central nervous system’s ability to perform any one of the billions of important functions the CNS is involved in.
How is Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosed?
The degree of how destroyed the myelin becomes is often relative to what stage the condition is in, frequently diagnosed in four stages:
Relapsing-Remitting – symptoms fade and return off and on for long periods of time.
Secondary Progressive – a follow up diagnoses after relapsing-remitting, where symptoms become progressive and will worsen over time.
Primary Progressive – symptoms are diagnosed as progressive from the start.
Progressive Relapsing – symptoms are progressive at diagnosis and are relapsing later.
Because of how variable where, when, and how much the myelin is destroyed, the symptoms of MS are just as varying. This makes MS one of the more difficult conditions to accurately diagnose early, as some will only ever accumulate mild, otherwise unnoticeable symptoms, while others will develop severe or debilitating symptoms.
Often, unless there are presently strong enough symptoms to visit a physician, MS is sometimes only caught after undergoing an MRI or other regulatory scans where abnormal lesions or plaque buildups can be identified more easily.
Symptoms of MS can include, but are not limited to:
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Depression
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Difficulty walking
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Dizziness
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Double vision
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Fatigue
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Muscle weakness or spasms
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Pain
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Poor bowel and bladder control
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Sexual dysfunction
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Tingling and numbness
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Urinary problems
Treating Multiple Sclerosis
While the exact cause of MS is not fully understood, hereditary, environmental, and genetic factors are all suggested to play a role in the condition. Often treatments will include a healthy diet, regular exercise, and specific medications targeted to treat the precise symptoms that are being experienced.
Because of the variability in what the symptoms can be, medication plans can be difficult to figure out, often requiring mixtures of medications or trying out many different medications before landing on the right one. Throughout this process there are often very unpleasant side effects with pharmaceutical medications that can worsen quality of life.
This is one of the main reasons why patients suffering from multiple sclerosis look at medical marijuana as a potential medication alternative.
Can Medical Marijuana Help Multiple Sclerosis?
Cannabis is a complex plant with a large number of medicinal compounds. MS patients frequently look at medical marijuana for its anti-inflammatory effects, muscle relaxation, and improved sleep quality, but research is suggesting there may be many more benefits.
Muscle stiffness and generalized pain are the most common symptoms reported by MS patients, and numerous studies have suggested a very strong potential for cannabis to treat pain and muscle stiffness for MS patients.
Treating Inflammation with Medical Marijuana
Inflammation of neural tissue is a major component of MS, and cannabis includes some very potent anti-inflammatory cannabinoids.
While more in-depth research is needed on cellular degeneration and medical marijuana’s efficacy in preventing or reducing neuroinflammation, there are suggestible scientific links between cannabis and reduced inflammation that have caught the attention of many medical and scientific researchers.
The relationship between cannabis and multiple sclerosis is continuing to be understood as more patients report improved quality of life and even reduced symptoms.
Overwhelming Evidence Leads to Medical Marijuana Being Approved for Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Tennessee
Because of the overwhelming volume of evidence that people suffering from multiple sclerosis can benefit from medical marijuana, Tennessee has added MS to its list of approved conditions. This means medical marijuana products will be available for those suffering from MS and can be incorporated into treatment plans or used as potential alternatives.
Frequently MS patients who are suffering from debilitating symptoms look for medication alternatives that will reduce their symptoms without extreme side effects, and Tennessee has taken the compassionate approach to include medical marijuana as a viable medication for MS.
If you or a loved one suffer from Multiple Sclerosis, consult with one of our physicians who can help you figure out the best approach for you.
Become a Tennessee Cannabis Patient
Qualifying Tennessee patients will soon be able to meet with one of our certified physicians and get approved for medical cannabis treatment.
Reserve your appointment today and get $25 off when we start processing applications!
We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way, feel free to give us a call at 844-249-8714, and we can answer your questions about getting medical cannabis in Tennessee.