Medical Cannabis Delray Beach

How Medical Cannabis Can Help Treat Seizures

 

Over the years, the use of Medical Cannabis in Delray Beach has generated a growing interest from the public due to its more notarized medicinal properties and pain management abilities. As of Jan. 2019 33 states have allow the use of medical marijuana as a treatment method for debilitating diseases. One of the chronic illnesses for which the use of medical cannabis is often allowed is epileptic seizures. This illness affects the life and health of millions of people around the world. But how does medical marijuana help alleviate the effects of this debilitating condition?

medical cannabis treating epilepsyCan Medical Marijuana Treat Seizures?

One of the most famous cases that showed how medical cannabis can help treat seizures is the Charlotte Figi case. Figi, a resident of Colorado, suffered from continuous seizures. After many attempts at treating the girl’s condition, her parents decided to give her medicinal cannabis high in CBD (cannabidiol). By adding this drug, the girl’s seizures were reduced from 300 grand mal seizures per week to only two or three seizures per month.

This was an incredible breakthrough in illustrated medical cannabis’ ability to help treat seizures.

What is a Seizure?

A seizure is when the brain’s electrical activity becomes dysregulated and all the neurons fire repeatedly at the same time. This disrupts the function of the area of the brain and can cause extreme changes in your behavior, movements or feelings.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain that can cause seizures… Epilepsy can affect people in very different ways… because there are many causes and many different kinds of seizures.”

The following are commonly associated with developing seizures:

  • Head Injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
  • Strokes
  • Brain Tumors
  • Meningitis
  • Encephalitis

However, most seizure disorders occur for no known reason.

Types of Seizures Caused by Epilepsy

Seizures are generally divided into three main categories known as Focal Onset, Generalized Onset or Unknown onset.

Partial seizures are caused by electrical impulses originating in a specific or focused part of the brain which may or may not cause loss of consciousness but will typically cause some dysfunction that is problematic.

Common Traditional Epileptic Seizure Medications

There is a huge list of medications available to treat epilepsy also known as “Anti Epileptic drugs,” or AEDs. Common AEDs include Levetiracetam (Keppra), Lamotrigene (Lamictal), Topiramate (Topamax), Gabapentin (Neurontin), Phenytoin (Dilantin), Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Clonezepam (Klonopin), Clobezam (Frisium), and others.

Medical Marijuana as a Treatment for Seizures

Medical Marijuana, or more specifically CBD (cannabidiol), which is one of the many cannabinoid medicines in cannabis, has been shown to help reduce seizures. However, it is extremely important to note that this has only been shown in childdren with rare genetic seizure disorders. These children have either Dravet’s Syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.

 

In June of 2018 the FDA released a public press release approving the drug Epidiolex (cannabidiol) [CBD] oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and dravet syndrome, in patients two years of age and older. This was the first FDA-approved drug that contains a purified drug substance derived from marijuana.

Medical Cannabis Doctor Serving Delray Beach

There are many people in the United States who suffer from epileptic seizures. While using medical cannabis will not cure this illness, you might have questions about whether it can aid you in alleviating its symptoms. To begin you must consult with your treating physician to see how medical marijuana can help you.

If you wish to learn more about the benefits of medical cannabis, contact us online or call. We happily serve residents from the Delray Beach area and beyond. 561-578-4582.