How Medical Marijuana Card New York Can Help in Treating Parkinson's Disease

There are very rare and a few elements of nature that are made out of human bodies. These elements are stranded outside in their own environment and when they get in the systems of humans, they benefit in some magical ways.   Cannabis is one such element that can be synonymous to such magical things of nature.  

As we have moved over time, we have realized the strengths of cannabis, which is commonly known as Medical Marijuana these day. For people's convenience to benefit from its powers, one can get a Medical Marijuana Card New York if one has a medical prescription. 

Medical Marijuana: Present Aspects 

Taking the United States into consideration, cannabis or medical marijuana has become very  popular. Several states of the nation have legalized it, but for recreational and medical purposes. Medical marijuana is used for a variety of reasons, and it may now be used to help persons with Parkinson's disease (PD). Cannabis has been shown to help with bradykinesia, stiffness, rigidity, and tremors.

About 20 million people in the United States use marijuana, accounting for 12.3% of the total population, including 1.2 million persons using medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is authorized in 23 states, including the District of Columbia (DC), and recreational marijuana is permitted in four states. Between 2002 and 2012, marijuana use grew fourfold among those aged 55 to 59 years old and doubled among people aged 60 to 64 years old. 

Variety of Cannabis 

Cannabis comes in two varieties: sativa and indica, and many other cannabinoids have been discovered. Sativa strains have more THC, which can provide euphoria, whereas indica strains have more CBD. Both of these substances can pass the blood-brain barrier and have neurotrophic effects. THC is the psychoactive component of marijuana and is used for recreational purposes. Because it is less psychotropic, cannabidiol is frequently used as an analgesic, sedative, antiemetic, and/or hunger stimulant.

The endocannabinoid system, which is made up of cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are molecular switches that are present on the exterior of cells. These receptors are responsible for regulation of thinking and some other body functions as well.

After persons with PD presented anecdotal stories and shared on social media about how cannabis reportedly lessened their tremors, researchers became interested in studying cannabis in relation to PD. Cannabis, according to some experts, may be neuroprotective, protecting neurons from the damage produced by Parkinson's disease.

Other symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as bradykinesia (slowness) and dyskinesia, have been examined using cannabinoids (the chemical compounds found in marijuana) (excess movement caused by levodopa). Despite some encouraging preclinical data, no major or conclusive advantages of cannabis for patients with Parkinson's disease have been discovered.

Despite the potential benefits of marijuana for Parkinson's patients, there are some risks associated with it. THC in marijuana has the potential to cause:

Poor Movement and Thinking

Hallucinations

Issues with Memory

Mood Swings

Marijuana may have more adverse effects when smoked than when taken in other forms. Short-term effects are caused by the smoke itself, and might include coughing and lung inflammation. Another concern is recurrent lung infections. Although there are no clinical trials that suggest a direct link between marijuana and cardiovascular events, marijuana smoke may cause heart difficulties or exacerbate existing heart disorders over time.

In some cases if a person is having depression or anxiety, Medical Marijuana could make the symptoms worse. But in a few cases and as some research, we have seen that people are diagnosed with depression more often if treated with medical cannabis. However, there is no clear findings that marijuana causes depression. 

For people with Parkinson's disease, medical marijuana can give additional benefits, such as symptom alleviation for:

Anxiety\Spain

Sleep Disturbances

Nausea

Marijuana has been demonstrated to reduce the motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The available study, however, has drawbacks, such as limited sample sizes and a lack of defined clinical outcome measures. 

Cannabis products may help with the neurologic aspects of Parkinson's disease, but such claims must be supported by patient-specific characteristics such disease stage, target symptoms, and prior levodopa exposure, as well as cannabis product dosages.