Muscular Dystrophy

Understand how medical marijuana helps with Muscular Dystrophy.

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Medical marijuana can help relieve some of the symptoms of Muscular Dystrophy (MD). Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disease that causes muscles to weaken and break down over time. It can make it difficult to walk, stand, and perform other daily activities. 

Types of muscular dystrophy

• Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A severe form of MD that can cause heart problems, scoliosis, and wheelchair use. It's usually diagnosed between the ages of 3 and 6. 

• Becker muscular dystrophy: Similar to Duchenne, but symptoms usually appear in adolescence and progress more slowly. 

• Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy: Affects the muscles of the face, shoulders, and arms. 

• Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy: Affects the hips and shoulders first. 

• Myotonic muscular dystrophy: Causes facial muscles to weaken and makes it difficult to relax muscles. 

• Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy: Affects the muscles of the eyes, face, and throat, causing drooping eyelids and swallowing difficulties. 

Symptoms 

• Muscle weakness

• Difficulty walking

• Muscle cramping

• Frequent falls

• Walking on tiptoes

• Contractures, which are shortened muscles and tendons

• Scoliosis, which is a curved spine

• Heart problems

• Deformities in the joints

Complications 

• Early death, usually in the 20s

• Heart failure

• Malignant arrhythmias

• Heart block

• Ventricular dysfunction

Medical marijuana can help with Muscular Dystrophy.

Medical marijuana is thought to help relieve the symptoms of Muscular Dystrophy, including increased appetite, better sleep, muscle relaxation, reduced inflammation, and pain relief. Currently there is no cure for muscular dystrophy. 

Benefits

• Pain modulation:
  By activating CB1 and CB2 receptors, cannabinoids may reduce the intensity of pain signals reaching the brain, leading to pain relief. 

• Anti-inflammatory effects:
  Some research suggests that cannabinoids can possess anti-inflammatory properties, potentially helping to reduce inflammation. 

• Muscle relaxation:
  Cannabinoids might also help relax muscles, potentially alleviating muscle spasms that can occur as a result of MD. 

• Appetite stimulation:

 Marijuana can help with weight loss and malnutrition that can occur in MD patients.

• Sleep improvement: 

Marijuana can help with sleep disturbances that are common in muscular dystrophy (MD) patients.