Out of the 2.5+ million people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS), about 400,000 of them are in the US alone. This may not sound like a large number, but for a condition as rare as MS, the numbers tack up really high.
For those who aren’t aware, MS is a chronic and progressive neurological disease in which your immune system attacks the central nervous system, leading to a variety of undesirable symptoms. If you are battling MS too or know someone who is, then knowing how CBD can help might be interesting to you.
Here are 12 ways you can use CBD to your advantage in your battle against Multiple Sclerosis:
1.Helps Manage Pain
Pain becomes an inevitable part of most people’s lives of people who have MS. The pain often comes and goes on its own and can make a person feel miserable, or even depressed. CBD can help with different types of pain but not limited to muscle pain, nerve pain, bone pain or headaches and provide the sufferer with some relief.
2.Betters Immune System
When you have MS, your immune system begins to attack your own cells. Though medical science has not yet been able to find the cause for this, efforts are constantly being made to help improve the immune system’s ability to differentiate between the body’s own cells and other germs/bacteria. Since the body’s endocannabinoid system is directly connected to the nervous system, CBD can give you a feeling of relaxation while also calming down your immune system so that it doesn’t wreak havoc on your body.
3.Assists with Spasticity
People who have MS often have to deal with muscle spasticity and stiffness. Many people cope with it by depending on drugs like Zanaflex, valium, and Flexeril, all of which can be addictive and have some serious side effects. A better option is to trust CBD, as research has proven it to be more effective than a placebo in reducing muscle stiffness. It can also help reduce the pain one fee and allow the person to sleep better. Another research has shown that about half of the people who had CBD extract had reduced spasticity by a whopping 30 percent!
4.Aids in Sleep
People with MS often face trouble falling asleep to reasons like pain, anxiety, bladder problems, bowel issues, etc. Many researchers have found that CBD, which breaks down into CBN or cannabinoids, has sedating effects. If you have real sleep problems, reach out for slightly old cannabis – not fresh – as the former is more effective in lulling you to sleep. Most of the people make use of CBD oils for sleep problems and get relief.
5.Decreases Inflammation
Inflammation is also a problem for MS patients. If you also deal with chronic inflammation way too much, then we recommend that you stop taking steroids to combat inflammation and switch to CBD instead. It will instantly help in decreasing inflammation, fight invading pathogens and boost regenerative processes.
6.Lessens Neuropathic Pain
MS patients also have to deal with neuropathic pain and numbness. As this type of pain is often hard to treat, turning to CBD would be a smart choice. It will not only lessen the pain and numbness but will also lead to an increase in sensation if used regularly for a period of time.
7.Fights Anxiety and Depression
MS can take a toll on a person’s mental health as well, what with all the stress the patients go through. You can fight the feelings of anxiety and depression by using certain strains of CBD. Do remember that different strains are meant for different effects and choose the one you need accordingly. Unlike Allopathy, if one strain is not yielding the results you want with regard to your mental health, switching to another is always an option.
8.Offers Relief from Gastrointestinal Issues
People dealing with Multiple Sclerosis face gastrointestinal troubles quite often. Some people report that they have diarrhea due to MS while others report that they have constipation. No matter which of these a person has, CBD can help you as it promotes natural bodily processes and eases the stress in many parts of the body. It can be useful even if you have developed a gastrointestinal disease.
9.Declines Bladder Incontinence
If you have Multiple Sclerosis, you might also be a victim of bladder incontinence which is usually a result of bladder spasms. Cannabis can come to your rescue here too as it can reduce the activity of an overactive bladder. Make sure that you go for strains which are high in CBG (cannabigerol) if bladder incontinence is bothering you.
10.Makes You More Energized
Multiple sclerosis patients also have to deal with low energy and fatigue most of the time. The reasons for the same vary from interruptions in sleep to high levels of anxiety. No matter what the reason is, you can skip the sugar-laden energy drink and reach to CBD as a safe alternative. It will not only reduce fatigue but will also boost your energy levels.
11.Improves Cognition
CBD also helps in dealing with cognitive symptoms associated with MS. Studies have proved that cannabis can help in boosting executive functioning. Animal studies have also shown that THC can help an aging brain and not harms it.
12.Controls Seizures
Treating seizures is a major issue for most people dealing with MS. Cannabis, especially, CBD (cannabidiol) can often treat seizures perfectly on its own. CBD can also reduce the frequency of episodes/seizures in MS patients.
Talk With Your Healthcare Provider Before You Decide
If you think CBD is for you, we would advocate it indeed. However, we would never recommend that you take a major health decision like this without consulting your doctor first as smoking or vaping may aggravate certain health conditions.
There are different varieties of CBD and the effect they have on patients is also different. So, you should try one strain at a time until you find the one that works for you. There is no need to worry if a few strains don’t work for you. You have thousands of options to try. Once you find a strain that works for you, you’ll be smart to stick to it for as long as you need.
Conclusion
In essence, it can be seen that CBD can considerably help patients with Multiple Sclerosis and enable them to live a normal life. Various researchers have researched the benefits of CBD oils, and most of the research assignments have proved that cannabis can work effectively for most people dealing with MS. There’s no harm in trying CBD at least once. You never know, it may change your life for the better.
