Cannabis May Help Spinal Cord Injury Patients
Spinal injuries can have multiple causes. In many cases, spinal injuries are the result of trauma. People who experience falls or who get into fights and land on their spines or suffer severe blows to the spine can suffer from severe spinal trauma. Getting spinal cord injuries as a result of motor vehicle accidents is more common, however. There are some diseases that can result in spinal cord injuries, including certain types of cancer, severe arthritis, and extreme inflammation. For some people, these spinal injuries are permanent and disabling.
Symptoms of Spinal Injuries
Spinal injuries can cause a number of different complications. Some people become fully or partly immobile as a result of getting their spines injured. There are people who will lose sensation in their skin as a result of spinal cord injuries. Some patients will get respiratory problems, bowel trouble, and issues with circulation. All of these problems can just lead to additional medical complications. However, for a lot of people, the resultant depression can be one of the most troubling symptoms of all. Adjusting to a new way of life following a spinal injury can be difficult, and the emotional consequences can be very tough on everyone involved.
Treatments for Spinal Injuries
Depending on the nature of the spinal injury, some people involved might be eligible for surgery. However, surgery might be too dangerous in some cases. Some surgeries will only be able to stop the spinal injury from getting worse. Many people are still going to suffer from permanent disabilities, and they will have to learn to manage them. Wheelchairs and various electronic aids can help people these days. Some patients might have to rely on pain medication like Vicodin for the rest of their lives in order to get through the day.
Spinal Injury and Medical Marijuana
The connection within spinal injury and medical marijuana research is well-documented. Scientists have shown that medical marijuana can help by relieving the pain that many sufferers will experience without the side effects and tolerance associated with medications like Vicodin. While many medications cause constipation, marijuana does not.
In fact, marijuana might promote good digestion in patients who have spinal cord injuries, who often have problems with that. Many patients experience muscle spasms as a result of spinal cord injuries, and medical marijuana can help. Some patients experience a loss of appetite following a spinal injury, and medical marijuana serves as an appetite stimulant.
Of course, some of the most troubling symptoms of spinal cord injuries are psychological in nature. Some people become hopelessly depressed as a result of their spinal cord injuries. Medical marijuana has been shown to help with depression, and it can certainly help disabled patients feel better emotionally. This can also help them feel better physically in many cases. Marijuana is particularly useful in treating the depression correlated with extreme and chronic stress, and so it is certainly relevant to people who are depressed as a result of becoming disabled.
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