Alternative Drug Therapy Approach Alleviates Cerebral Palsy Symptoms and Muscle Spasticity
Statistics based on medical research indicate that nearly 90% of cerebral palsy is related to brain injury that occurs because of no progressive disturbances (such as oxygen deprivation) during pregnancy. This results in the damage of brain cells that are responsible for muscle movement and control as well as other brain cell types. This condition varies in its severity depending on the treatment and therapy recommended by doctors and medical practitioners. Cerebral palsy is a motor disorder that affects the development of movement and posture permanently, that limits physical activity and it is often accompanied by epilepsy, disturbances of cognition, communication, behavior, perception and secondary musculoskeletal problems. Treatment using medical marijuana seems to alleviate the symptoms of different types of cerebral palsy.
Exposure to some viruses belonging to herpes group B and infections of the urinary and reproductive tract are known to double the risk of developing Cerebral Palsy in a preterm delivery. Less common cases of the problem occur due to lead poisoning, head injuries, and viral infections that occur very early in life. Though the condition is chronic, it is not a progressive condition and one of the most common types where there is excess muscle tone is the spastic type.
Medical Marijuana based drug therapy when administered at early stages and on an ongoing basis seems promising in reducing a majority of the disabilities associated with cerebral palsy. Treatment using cannabis seems to alleviate the symptoms of different types of palsy such as athletic cerebral palsy that leads to involuntary and uncontrolled movements in the affected muscles and ataxic cerebral palsy where children are extremely unsteady and shaky because the brain cells responsible for the sense of balance and depth perception are affected.
Those afflicted with cerebral palsy also benefit immensely from regular and early physical, speech, behavioral, and occupational therapy that can help them lead productive, independent, happy, and healthy lives. A combination of MMJ and these therapies can also help patients who develop resistance or addiction to other prescribed medications that also lead to heavy sedation.
The cannabinoid component in marijuana help patients reduces the spasticity in their muscles because the cannabinoids bind with the cannabinoid receptors in the body. This triggers the release of chemicals that act as muscle relaxants. This is the proposed mechanism that offers relief of spastic muscle control. Numerous medical cases where patients born with severe cognitive delays, epilepsy, total blindness and cerebral palsy have experienced and have reported various levels of relief with medical marijuana.
