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Get a West Virginia Medical Marijuana Card for Parkinson’s Disease
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that causes shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with movement. The condition will worsen with time, and has a life expectancy of between 10 – 20 years after diagnosis.
Parkinson’s disease is a growing concern for West Virginia, with the state having the 4th highest mortality rate in the nation according to the CDC.
There is no cure for Parkinson’s, although symptoms of the condition can often be treated with consistent medications and lifestyle or dietary changes, and most treatment plans focus on reducing symptoms and preventing complications of the disease.
Fortunately, Parkinson’s Disease symptoms can be treated with medical marijuana when you get approved for a marijuana card in West Virginia.
What are the Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that can affect anyone at any age, but it is usually diagnosed around the age of 60.
The most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are tremors and difficulty with movement, although symptoms can range from:
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Difficulty swallowing
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Difficulty speaking
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Slow movement
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Stiff muscles
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Tremors
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Slow or monotone speech
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Stooped posture
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Impaired coordination
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Muscle cramping
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Difficulty with emotions or thoughts.
Parkinson’s disease causes the deterioration of cells in the brain, leading to the dysfunction of neurotransmitters that are responsible for mood, movement, and a range of different functions. This can cause a range of different problems, most commonly tremors, stiffness, and difficulty speaking.
People who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease can also have difficulty expressing emotions or processing thoughts, which has been thought to be due to a significant lack of dopamine in the brain.
How is Parkinson’s Disease Treated?
Parkinson’s Disease is a lifelong condition and there is no known cure for the illness.
It is a progressive disease, and the symptoms will get worse with time.
Treatment plans usually revolve around addressing symptoms or complications of the condition, such as reducing tremors, improving muscle stiffness, and reducing stress.
Often dopaminergic medications are prescribed to help replace depleted dopamine in the brain, and other medications such as cognition-enhancing medications and anti-tremor medications may be prescribed as well.
Alternative therapies are also used to help with some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, such as supportive therapy, physiotherapy, and lifestyle changes such as dietary adjustments and exercise.
Can Medical Marijuana Help with Parkinson’s Disease?
Although there are a host of medications available to help with the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, unfortunately there are no known medications that can help slow the progression of the condition or cure the disease.
Often, medications are incorporated into a treatment plan that can help reduce tremors or improve muscle stiffness such as levodopa and carbidopa, and dopamine agonists such as pramipexole, rotigotine, and ropinirole are often prescribed to help replace depleted dopamine.
While many traditional pharmaceuticals are available to treat the symptom of Parkinson’s disease, often they come with unpleasant side effects that might be avoided by using cannabis as an alternative medicine.
Medical Marijuana Can Help Reduce Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
Many patients who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease report using cannabis to help improve mood, quality of life, and even reduce tremors. Certain products such as RSO are taken by Parkinson’s disease patients to effectively reduce tremors, as well as improve appetite, reduce muscle rigidity, and improve quality of sleep.
Studies have shown that patients with Parkinson’s disease respond positively to cannabis as a medicine, allowing for significantly improved motor skills.
Pain relief, lower inflammation, and reduced stress are also properties of cannabis that patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may see improvement with.
There are also studies that suggest there are strong neuroprotective properties of THC & CBD, which may help protect neurons in your brain from damage and promote neurogenesis, although more conclusive studies are needed to confidently understand the link between cannabis and neuroprotection.
Get West Virginia Medical Marijuana for Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is an approved condition for West Virginia medical marijuana. A diagnosis of Parkinson’s is daunting and requires immediate attention to help slow or reduce symptoms as much as possible.
There’s no better time than now to become a medical marijuana patient in West Virginia, and our staff of qualified Doctors can be reached at 877-303-8424 to help answer any questions you may have about getting West Virginia marijuana for chronic pain.
Get Your West Virginia Medical Marijuana Card
in Four Easy Steps!
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Step 1
Schedule a telemedicine appointment by calling us at (877) 303-8424.
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Step 2
Meet virtually with one of our certified physicians through telemedicine to discuss your medical history.
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Step 3
With the doctor's approval, you'll receive your recommendation for a West Virginia medical marijuana card!