Epilepsy and Medical Marijuana
Epilepsy and Medical Cannabis
INTRODUCTION
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe epilepsy as “a common brain condition that causes repeated seizure”. Epilepsy is a chronic non-communicable disease of the brain that affects around 50 million people worldwide. It is characterized by recurrent seizures, which are brief episodes of involuntary movement that may involve a part of the body (partial) or the entire body (generalized) and could be followed by loss of consciousness and loss of control of bowel or bladder function.
Seizure episodes occur as a result of excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells. Different parts of the brain can be the site of such discharges. Seizures episodes can range from the briefest lapses of attention or muscle jerks to severe and prolonged convulsions. Seizures can also vary in frequency, from less than 1 per year to several per day.
One seizure does not mean epilepsy (up to 10% of people worldwide have one seizure during their lifetime). Epilepsy is defined as having two or more unprovoked seizures. Epilepsy is one of the world’s oldest recognized conditions, with written records dating back to 4000 BC. Fear, misunderstanding, discrimination and social stigma have been associated with epilepsy for centuries. This stigma continues in many countries today and has a great impact on the quality of life of individuals and families with the disease.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
The signs and symptoms of epilepsy depend on the severity and the part of the brain that is affected. They include but are not limited to the following:
A staring spell.
Loss of awareness or consciousness. Disturbances of movement.
Sensation (including vision, hearing and taste), mood, or other cognitive functions alteration.
Anxiety.
Depression.
CLASSIFICATION OF EPILEPSY
Doctors generally classify seizures as either focal or generalized, based on how the abnormal brain activity begins.
FOCAL SEIZURE
Focal seizures without loss of consciousness:
These are also called simple partial seizures. These seizures do not cause a loss of consciousness. They may alter emotions or change the way things look, smell, feel, taste or sound. They may also result in involuntary jerking of the body part, such as an arm or leg, and spontaneous sensory symptoms such as tingling, dizziness and flashing lights.Focal seizures with impaired awareness:
These were also called complex partial seizures. This seizure involves a change or loss of consciousness or awareness, there may be staring into space and not responding normally to the environment or performing repetitive movements, such as hand rubbing, chewing, swallowing or walking in circles.
GENERALIZED SEIZURE
Absence seizures: Absence seizure was previously known as petit mal seizures. It usually occurs in children and is characterized by staring into space or gentle body movements such as eye blinking or lip-smacking. These seizures may occur in clusters and cause a short period of loss of awareness.
Tonic seizures: Tonic seizures cause muscle stiffness. These seizures usually affect muscles in the back, arms and legs and cause an individual to fall to the ground.
Atonic seizures: Atonic seizures, also known as drop seizures, cause a loss of muscle control, which may cause a sudden collapse or falling.
Clonic seizures: Clonic seizures are associated with repeated or rhythmic, jerking muscle movements. These seizures usually affect the muscle of the neck, face and arms.
Myoclonic seizures: Myoclonic seizures usually appear as sudden brief jerks or twitches of the arms and legs.
Tonic-clonic seizures: Tonic-clonic seizures, formally known as grand mal seizures, are the most dramatic type of epileptic seizure and can cause an abrupt loss of consciousness, body stiffening and shaking, and sometimes loss of bladder control or biting the tongue.
CAUSES
Genetic influence.
Head trauma.
Brain conditions.
Infectious diseases.
Prenatal injury.
Developmental disorders.
Other risk factors.
Age.
Family history.
Head injuries.
Stroke and other vascular diseases.
Dementia.
Brain infections.
Seizures in childhood.
EPILEPSY AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA
The use of medical marijuana to treat epilepsy and other neurological conditions has been studied for several years. Many patients have reported great success in using medical cannabis to treat epilepsy.
On June 25, 2018, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved EPIDIOLEX® (cannabidiol, CBD) oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with two epilepsy syndromes Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome in individuals who are above two years of age. Epidiolex represents a new medication option for children with these types of epilepsy. It is also the first-ever FDA approved medication to treat seizures in Dravet syndrome.
Epidiolex is a purified (> 98% oil-based) CBD extract from the cannabis (marijuana) plant. It is produced by Greenwich Biosciences (the U.S. based company of GW Pharmaceuticals).
The majority of US states that have medical marijuana treatment options list epilepsy as a qualifying medical condition when determining eligibility for medical cannabis. In Virginia there is not list of qualifying conditions so any condition could qualify you for medical marijuana treatment. Read below to learn more about how you can get approved today for medical marijuana and begin purchasing medical cannabis products from the state-license medical marijuana dispensaries.
How to Get Medical Marijuana to Treat Epilepsy
Getting your medical marijuana card in 2022 is very easy at North Carolina Marijuana Doctors. We utilize the latest HIPAA compliant technology to help patients connect with our cannabis doctor and his team of marijuana providers. Appointments can be conducted entirely online from any connected device.
You can schedule your appointment, complete your medical marijuana intake forms through our online patient portal, see the marijuana doctor, receive your medical cannabis certificate immediately after your appointment by email, and even submit your information to the state to get your medical marijuana card all online from the comfort and safety of your home.
Patients do need to have documentation showing they have been diagnosed or treated for a qualifying medical condition in order to be certified by our marijuana doctor. Our physician can issue you a written medical marijuana certificate immediately after your appointment.
If you made a new year resolution to try more natural treatments for your medical condition and you feel that medical marijuana could benefit you then please schedule an appointment by clicking the Book An Appointment button below! All payments are 100% refundable if you are not certified for medical marijuana.
