Medical Cannabis for Chronic Muscle Spasms

Medical Cannabis can help chronic muscle spasms

Infrequent, isolated muscle spasms are normal. They become an issue when they are reoccurring, intense, and start to affect your everyday life. To understand muscle spasm, it’s important to recognize their causes and physiology of spastic muscles.

A muscle spasm is when your muscles forcibly contract and do not relax like normal. Most only last for a couple of seconds and can be alleviated with light stretching, while some episodes can go for several minutes. Muscle spasms can affect one type of muscle or a group of interconnected muscles. Muscle spasms not only affect those who enjoy contact sports since it can also be a chronic problem with those leading a sedentary lifestyle.

There are several factors when it comes to spasms. As you age, you increase your chances of having a spasm and those who overuse a particular muscle group for an extended period. Chronic dehydration is also coupled with cramps, as the trace elements that replenish engaged muscles tend not to be as abundant. Some of these trace elements include low potassium, calcium, and magnesium levels.

Thankfully, the onset of marijuana has positioned it as a holistic, safe path to approaching muscle spasms. Compared to addictive opioids and muscle relaxants, the active ingredients can help alleviate discomfort without the risk of addiction.

What Is Florida Amendment 2?

Florida has finally passed legislation on the legality of marijuana. Even though the legalization of marijuana was primarily supported at the ballot box, with 6.5 million votes in November of 2016, the Department of Health wasn’t too sure how it will implement written provisions.

Florida Amendment 2 directs the Department of Health to issue 10 additional permits for marijuana services and businesses. Out of those ten permits, several are for nurseries, and the Department of Health will issue the rest. The bill also requires that license holders keep up and implement seed-to-sale tracking for all of its products if it wants to keep its license. Marijuana will be tested for potency and other contaminants right before dispensing it to be public. The bill is also good news for patients – they do not have to wait a 90 day period to forge a relationship with a practitioner or doctor.

How Does Marijuana Help With Pain?

The science behind marijuana usage and pain relief have been well studied. But how tetrahydrocannabinol – or THC – interacts with your body’s nervous system is sometimes overlooked. THC affects your endocannabinoid system.

The endocannabinoid system consists of a system in the body and brain that affects different functions, including how you feel and react to pain. Neurotransmitters communicate pain to your brain. Since cannabinoids act on the presynaptic cells between neurons, they have the ability to control what happens when a cell is activated. They function by limiting the number of neurotransmitters shooting messages to each other. THC connects to the receptors throughout your body and brain, subsequently nullifying pain.

Benefits of Marijuana For Spasm

The active ingredient in marijuana can also help with muscle spasms. Researchers at the American Academy of Neurology have found that the application of medical marijuana in the form of oral sprays or pills reduced muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis.

THC acts relatively quick, with minimal side effects. However, before you start a rehabilitative regimen with the help of THC products, it’s important that you contact a medical marijuana physician that is cognizant of Florida laws and legislation, as one of the covered conditions is muscle spasms.

For more information on medical marijuana in Tampa, Hudson, or Beverly Hills, FL click here. Alternatively, call our office on 727-202-4325. We’re standing by to help eliminate your pain.