Marijuana Could Harm Brain in MS Patients

The use of medical marijuana has now been legalized in numerous states across the nation. Now new research is showing that those patients with MS who smoke marijuana may be putting their brains at risk. Even though it does relieve the pain and muscle spasms in patients it just may decrease cognitive abilities in MS patients as well.

This new small study has been published in the Journal of Neurology on Monday. The study had revealed that MS patients who smoked pot on a long term basis had double the risk of decreased cognitive abilities in comparison to those who did not smoke.

Dr. Anthony Feinstein, a neuropsychiatrist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, had led this new study states that MS patients are already cognitively impaired, the adding of marijuana just may make it worse.

Dr. Feinstein notes that long term inhaled or ingested street cannabis use is demonstrated to greatly decrease attention span, speed of thinking and processing information, working memory, executive functions and visuopathial skills. He continues noting that 40 to 60% of MS patients already have issues with cognitive function in the beginning and any drug which could add to that burden is a cause for concern.

The study consisted of 50 MS patients divided into two groups, those who smoked cannabis and those who did not, age range was 18 to 65 years old. The average time of marijuana use was 26 years with 72% reporting daily use and 24% once a week and one person every two weeks.

Both groups had undergone assorted cognitive skills testing which included neuropsychological exams and interviews and psychiatric evaluations for anxiety and depression.

Those who used pot long term had performed remarkably more poorly in comparison to those who did not use pot on cognitive functioning tests. There were no differences noted in the two groups on depression and anxiety evaluations.

Dr. Feinstein remarks that there exceptional information that demonstrates marijuana does impair a person's ability to work effectively and negatively affects relationships and day to day tasks.

Dr. Feinstein notes it is not known how marijuana affects the brain but scientists speculate that marijuana impairs cerebral function in particular ways that hinder a patients ability to think quickly and precisely and problem solving.

The research took a look at both those who smoked it and those who had consumed it as part of food.

According to the National MS Society around 400,000 Americans have MS. Among that number one in six smoke marijuana. It is smoked usually to help decrease pain, muscle spasms, fatigue and other symptoms of the disease.

Some MS patients try an assortment of medications to aide in controlling the symptoms and some will try natural alternatives such as marijuana to get much needed relief from the symptoms. Among the alternatives for MS symptoms include:

Chiropractic

In 2009, a survey conducted among MS patients who used alternative treatments and chose chiropractic care had remarked they had used this type of care to manage their MS symptoms and would recommend it to others who also suffer from MS.

Montel Williams one of the more well known advocates for chiropractic care for managing his MS symptoms. He revealed that after using upper cervical chiropractic care his pain had become decreased, he had improved ability in walking, regained leg strength and both legs became level. Previously his pelvis was titled with care had been put back where it belonged. He does note that he is not saying it will help everyone with MS but it had aided him immensely and is worth looking into.

The goal of chiropractic care is to decrease pressure on the nerves so the body can function normally.

Reflexology

Research conducted by staff at the Department of Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Complementary Medicine Clinic and the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Sheba Medical Center in Tel-Hashomer, Israel; and the Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, had found that reflexology relieved symptoms of MS.

Those participants who had the reflexology sessions that consisted of manual pressure on specific points of the feet and massaged calf area. At the end of the study which ran for eleven weeks, had shown significant improvement in symptoms.

Sources:

Globe and Mail

MSNBC

Massage Magazine

Montel Williams Testimonial

A & L Chiropractic Center