Multiple Sclerosis

What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. With MS, the immune system attacks the myelin—the protective sheath encasing the nerve fibers. This results in communication problems between the brain and the affected parts of the body. Eventually, MS can lead to permanent nerve damage and disability.

MS tends to be a lifelong condition, although managing MS symptoms is possible, including with medical cannabis. Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common causes of disability among younger adults.

How Can MS Affect Your Life?

MS can affect any part of the body. Its symptoms vary widely from person to person, depending on the location of the affected nerve. It often limits movement with symptoms such as:

  • Weakness or numbness in one or more limbs
  • Tremors and lack of coordination when walking
  • Jarring sensations akin to an electric shock that happen with certain neck movements

Managing MS symptoms can also involve dealing with vision problems, including:

  • Blurry vision
  • Double vision
  • Partial or total loss of vision often accompanied by pain during eye movement

Other symptoms of MS include:

  • Fatigue
  • Muscle stiffness and spasms
  • Difficulty controlling the bladder
  • Problems with thinking and learning

At the time of diagnosis, most patients tend to have relapsing-remitting MS, where the symptoms come and go in phases. You may remain symptom-free for weeks, months, or even years before signs of the disease return. Without treatment, this can progress to secondary progressive MS in which the symptoms worsen without any remission.

Multiple sclerosis may sometimes cause severe disability and is known to reduce average life expectancy. However, it can occasionally be mild, and managing MS symptoms is possible with focused medical treatments, including steroids and other therapies.

Medical Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis

Medical cannabis is a potential option for you if your MS treatment isn’t providing you the relief you want. Surveys show that many MS patients already use cannabis.

Cannabinoids are believed to have a number of potential benefits for chronic pain, including a reduction in pain perception and inflammation. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in particular, is thought to help with muscle stiffness and spasticity. Research has also shown that medical cannabis could be useful in managing MS symptoms such as fatigue and associated symptoms like anxiety and depression.

Qualify for Medical Cannabis in 60 Seconds or Less

If your conventional MS treatments aren’t helping as much as you’d like, you may consider starting a cannabis routine. At Texas 420 Doctors, we help Texans with qualifying conditions, such as MS, easily access medical cannabis.

You can book a telemedicine appointment with one of our doctors to discuss your symptoms. Each of our physicians is CURT-registered and board-certified. After your evaluation, you’ll have everything you need to order medical cannabis online from your nearest dispensary. Our physicians will meet with you for follow-up appointments throughout the year to monitor your routine.

Learn more about our medical marijuana services. Feel free to reach out to us with more questions about managing MS symptoms with medical cannabis. We look forward to hearing from you.

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