CBD Oil For Parkinson's Disease
After researching the subject and personally working with Parkinson's patients after their Parkinson's Disease prognosis, I’ve become more aware of the fact that an estimated 12 million people in the world are now afflicted by Parkinson's Disease – with over 1 million of us in the U.S. And why is it increasing?
You can count on that question being expanded upon here at Cannabis Animus in my next article on CBD and Parkinson's Disease. Or, perhaps I’ll update this post because the disease’s progression in America is alarming. According to studies on supranuclear palsy, the statistics show that the onset of Parkinson's has doubled between the 30 years 1976 to 2005.
But for now, we know that, much like many other neurologic diseases, CBD has demonstrated to the world how valuable CBD is to patients suffering from one of the most debilitating diseases today, and their relatives who have genetic concerns about their future physical disposition. Could you, or one of your loved ones, be next?
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson’s Disease is characterized by nerve cells and their neurons in the brain somehow deconstructing – and subsequently dying. This loss of neurons is believed to reduce dopamine levels (a vital brain hormone) to a point that causes abnormal brain function. This is the point where symptoms of Parkinson’s become noticeable.
Characterized by physicians as a movement disorder, the result from loss of neurons and brain cell dysfunction causes muscles to tighten and become rigid. The physical movement eventually becomes impossible while tremors intensify and dementia can ensue.
Another discovery by neuroscientists and their ilk have discovered the presence of what they describe as a potential “marker” of Parkinson’s Disease. They are called Lewy bodies which are described as substances developed/created in the brain tissue that won’t break down.
They’ve identified a natural protein called alpha-synuclein that may play an important role in identifying a relationship with Parkinson's and its future cure.
A related medical condition that is important to understand is Lewy Bodies Dementia (LBD) caused by these Lewy bodies present/developing in the brain.
Memory loss, cognitive thinking, attention, difficulty reasoning, and perceiving ‘normal’ space-time are all symptoms of LBD and Parkinson's.
Parkinson's Disease and CBD - Bottom line is that Parkinson’s Disease becomes completely debilitating for not only the patient but eventually the family. And without CBD therapy, life becomes unmanageable.
Cause of Parkinsons Disease
As you are probably aware, the cause of Parkinson’s Disease has yet to be discovered, but there are observations that thousands of scientists and medical professionals have concluded to be relevant… the fact that administering CBD (cannabidiol) in any number of delivery methods typically stops tremors and offers relief from uncontrollable physical dysfunction within minutes.
The aforementioned reduction in dopamine levels and its production in the brain causes difficulty coordinating proper muscle activity.
And as many of you know, more common mental maladies like depression and cognitive dysfunction are typical.
The genetic connection is statistically relevant.
Another discovery by neuroscientists and their ilk have discovered the presence of what they describe as a potential “marker” of Parkinson’s Disease. They are called Lewy bodies which are described as substances developed/created in the brain tissue that won’t break down. They’ve identified a natural protein called alpha-synuclein that may play an important role in identifying a relationship with Parkinson's and its future cure.
- Genetics and Heredity
- Environmental Toxins
- Heavy Metals, Water, Air, Chemicals
- Rx Drug Poisoning
- Risk Increases with Age
- Men at 2X Greater Risk
Early Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
If you are becoming more interested or otherwise sensitive to the subject of early Parkinsons Disease symptoms, post-prognosis, re-evaluation and/or its early onset, you’ll want to become more aware of these early symptoms.
- Decline in Cognitive Thinking, Memory
- Attention, Speech and Difficulty Writing
- Tremors, Posture, Movement and Balance
- Emotional Changes, Behavior, and Personality
- Difficulty Discerning Smells and Taste
- Problems Swallowing
- Pain and Fatigue
- Dizziness and Low Blood Pressure Fluctuations
- Problems Sleeping
- Constipation
- Sexual Dysfunction
5 Stages Parkinsons Disease
In keeping with my intention to encourage our members and visitors to learn BEFORE you get news from your doctor… You need to be aware of the five stages of Parkinson’s Disease.
Changes in normal posture and walk, facial expressions, and tremors in the wrist begin on one side of the body
Stage 2:
Symptoms increase, rigidity and difficulty with movement on both sides of the body, and daily tasks become more difficult and time-consuming.
Stage 3:
Characterized as “mid-stage” where the loss of balance and falls become more frequent. Normal daily activities are impaired such as eating, dressing, etc.
Stage 4:
Symptoms are described as severe. Standing without assistance and walking without a walker is no longer possible, and the patient requires daily assistance and cannot live alone safely. When these symptoms interfere with the patient’s normal activities, the term dementia is then applicable.
Stage 5:
Rigidity in the lower extremities intensifies making it impossible to walk. 24-hour care is required, delusions and hallucinations become common.
To round out your knowledge in variations in and progressions of Parkinson's, I highly recommend you watch this 5 minute video by Dr. Joseph Jankovic, MD of the National Parkinson Foundation.
Are Prescription Drugs Better?
For those who've received a Parkinson's Disease prognosis, prescription drugs may help manage problems with walking, movement and tremors. These medications either increase or substitute for dopamine, a specific signaling chemical (neurotransmitters) in your brain.
People with Parkinson’s disease have low brain dopamine concentrations. However, dopamine can’t be given directly. Apparently, biochemists haven’t figured out a way to allow it to enter the brain.
Patients may have significant improvement of their symptoms after beginning Parkinson’s disease treatment. Over time, however, the benefits of drugs frequently diminish or become less consistent, although symptoms can often be fairly well-controlled.
Rx medications physicians typically prescribe include:
- Amantadine
- Anticholinergics
- Carbidopa-levodopa
- Carbidopa-levodopa infusion
- Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors
- Duopa
- Dopamine Agonists
- Levodopa
- MAO-B Inhibitors
- Tolcapone (Tasmar)
- *Surgical procedures: Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
New Parkinson Treatment
Traditional methods for coping for with Parkinson's is available at the Parkinson’s Foundation website. I can save you the visit as the support comes in the form of the aforementioned drugs, as well as anti-depressants, group therapy, support groups, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, massage, music, art, and pet therapy.
The elephant in the room question still remains. How in the world can physician claim to have been upholding their Hippocratic Oath and at the same time ignore the best therapy for their Parkinson’s patients that has ever been discovered? It’s pure economics.
And, now they’re off the hook, so to speak. You see, the FDA has recently approved the first Cannabidiol (CBD oral solution) prescription medication for the treatment of epilepsy and controlling seizures. It’s called Epidiolex. Here’s the link to the FDA’s Press Release from 2 days ago.
Within the first 2 paragraphs, the state scientific inaccuracies that many of you will notice. They say “CBD is derived from Cannabis sativa… marijuana”. Although sativas can provide a little CBD, its another of the 3 species of Cannabis that supplies 99% of the CBD manufactured – that of Cannabis ruderalis, commonly know as Hemp.
Then, the FDA goes so far as to say that “It is THC (and not CBD) that is the primary psychoactive component of marijuana.”
Well, that’s an obvious obfuscation of REALITY! Unless “marijuana”is super-heated, burned, or otherwise “decarboxilized”, anyone could eat a pound of “marijuana” and not get high. Given this kind of official press release, it prompts the ongoing question, “Are these people fools, gamers… or do they think us patients are respectful of their rackets?”
SUMMARY
So there you have it, even the medical community and the FDA is doing an about face finally. After literally thousands of years of humans and and fellow mammals seeking out the Cannabis plants worldwide for relief from a myriad of uses that continue today, regardless of our own medical community and political representatives profit-seeking.
And you watch. Next, the mighty FDA will approve more and more Big Pharma companies like GW. They’ve been lined up for years frothing at their ROI’s ready to make hundreds of varieties of prescription medications for everything under the sun that involves neuropathic diseases and symptoms.
And all leveraging a “weed” that you should blend into your morning or afternoon smoothie for better results than they are likely to “provide”.
I’ll never take any of them anyway. I’ve got the real thing, and it’s much more natural, bio-available, and economical.
Can you relate? Please consider leaving your comments below!
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