Parkinson's and CBD
A wide range of symptoms
I have a beloved family member suffering from this disease, so this article is a very personal one to me. Parkinson's can be a very sneaky and difficult to diagnose disease and there is no cure. In this article we will discuss the many symptoms of Parkinson's and how CBD can help manage these symptoms.
What is Parkinson's?
Parkinson's Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominately the centers of the brain that produce dopamine. Most Parkinson's diagnoses is described as idiopathic , meaning that the cause is unknown, and although there is an enormous amount of research on the subject an exact cause has not yet been identified. Most medical scholars believe that it is due to genetics and/or environmental causes. There have been specific genetic markers associated with the triggering of Parkinson's. While Parkinson's itself is not fatal, the complications that arise with the progression can be very serious.
What are the symptoms of Parkinson's?
The symptoms and progression of Parkinson's can differ wildly from person to person and typically develop slowly over years. This is why it's very important to know the signs and symptoms so you can discuss it with your doctor if you begin experiencing them. There are many different symptoms of Parkinson's that I will break down by Motor and Non-Motor categories.
- Motor Symptoms
- Tremor : A rhythmic, involuntary shaking that typically occurs in the hands, arms and fingers. Many times this tremor is what's known as a resting tremor and disappears with voluntary movement.
- Muscle stiffness or rigidity
- Bradykinesia (Slowness) : This is defined as being a decrease in voluntary & spontaneous movement. This can range anywhere from shuffling gait to decreased blinking and facial expressions.
- Difficulty with balance and coordination : This is most common as the disease progresses, but can occur at any time.
The most common symptom at diagnoses is tremor but not all people who suffer from Parkinson's presents with tremor. T he only motor symptom that is always present with a diagnoses of Parkinson's is Bradykinesia. While slowness is always present, not everyone with Parkinson's will experience all 3 motor symptoms.
- Non-Motor Symptoms
Non-motor symptoms include mental changes as well as autonomic dysfunction. We will start with mental changes.
- Disturbances in Mood : Anxiety, depression, sadness, uncontrolled worry.
- Apathy : Lack of interest & motivation in daily activities
- Memory or Thinking : These symptoms can vary wildly from person to person and be as mild as loss of concentration to as severe as dementia.
- Psychosis : The most common presentations of psychosis are hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there), & delusions (false, paranoid beliefs)
- Excessive Perspiration : Sweating profusely even when not exerting energy, hot, or anxious/
- Constipation : Difficult to pass and/or decreased bowel movements
- Urination Problems : This can include difficulty passing urine, inability to urinate, frequent urination, & involuntary loss of bladder.
- Low Blood Pressure : Called orthostatic hypotension, this is a loss of blood pressure when changing positions like standing or sitting and can cause dizziness or feinting. Low Blood pressure can cause sexual issues such as erectile dysfunction or loss of libido.
- Other symptoms include: Swallowing problems, drooling, speech changes, skin changes, pain, excessive daytime sleepiness, vision changes, weight changes, loss of smell (called anosmia ).
What are the current medical treatments?
There is no "one size fits all" treatment for Parkinson's & all current treatments are aimed at managing the many symptoms of Parkinson's. A physician will tailor each treatment plan to each individual patient when their symptoms reach a point of affecting their every day lives. For example: Someone who is suffering with tremors, constipation, and erectile dysfunction will have a completely different treatment plan than someone suffering with gait issues and dementia. Many times doctors are treating symptoms rather than Parkinson's itself.
How can CBD help?
Although the research into cannabis for many disorders is in it's infancy, there has been alot of attention for many years on the potential brain and nervous system benefits. The research into CBD is only a few decades old so the information available is limited. There is however quite a bit of anecdotal evidence that it helps many people manage the symptoms of Parkinson's. One video that has made waves can be watched
here. It's amazing to watch the symptoms improve before your eyes.
Tremors
As we discussed earlier, tremors are a common symptom for Parkinson's, however there are other medications that are prescribed for other Parkinson's symptoms that can trigger tremors in patients or even make an existing tremor worse. The few studies that have been done on Parkinson's related tremor have trended toward improvement, but more study needs to be done. Again there is an abundance of anecdotal evidence out there from patients who sing the praises of cannabis in many forms.
Pain
Here is a
study published several years ago that addresses pain relief in people suffering from Parkinson's. This study was conducted with medical marijuana which contained both CBD and THC. There have been many more studies that you can find that suggest that CBD alone can provide significant relief for pain. When I first quit taking narcotics for pain management, I was on a CBD only regimen and had impressive improvement in my chronic pain.
Sleep
People suffering from Parkinson's often report very poor sleep, vivid nightmares, and movement that keeps them awake. The brain never gets much rest and is less and lee able to recover and do it's job. This
study discusses the use of CBD for sleep improvement in Parkinson's patients.
Psychosis
Psychosis causes delusions and even hallucinations in nearly
half of Parkinson's sufferers. Another study published in 2008 suggests that CBD improved psychosis symptoms in Parkinson's patients.
Final Thoughts
It deserves mentioning that all of these studies point to a better quality of life for users. With all of of the people using it (including myself) stating benefits from relief from pain to anxiety & depression it is a no brainer that this relief could help people living with Parkinson's to live a fuller and more fulfilled life. I personally feel that everyone should be consuming
cannabinoids in some form. Your body is equipped with a system called the
Endocannabinoid System that are receptors found on nearly every cell type in your body. Your body is literally designed to accept this plant to help it work at peak performance. Anyone with a genetic link to Parkinson's (as well as literally anyone else... yes even you) can only help their body to work better by introducing cannabinoids like CBD into your life.
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