Medical Marijuana for Parkinson's Disease in Iowa

Does Parkinson's Qualify for Medical Marijuana in Iowa?

Parkinson’s disease is currently a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Iowa, and individuals experiencing symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease can schedule their appointment now. People have been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for hundreds of years. It’s estimated that 1 million individuals in the United States are living with Parkinson's, about 20,000 live in the State of Iowa. 

 

Fortunately, medical cannabis is now available in Iowa for everyone who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. Although there is no quick fix for this condition, the important thing is that medical marijuana can offer a more complex relief from its symptoms.

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What Exactly Is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that damages and, eventually, kills brain cells. The disease affects neurons that produce dopamine and control movement.

 

Thus, people suffering from Parkinson’s disease often struggle with impaired coordination, muscle cramps, and tremors.

 

What Causes These Symptoms?

As neurons die, the level of dopamine in the brain goes down, affecting the movement. Given this, people who suffer from the disease may appear to have an abnormally stiff way of walking, as Parkinson’s disease can cause a freezing of parts of the body.

 

Primarily, Alzheimer’s affects people who are over their age, because usually, there are no noticeable symptoms of the disease until that age.

 

Along with the so-called freezing or tremors, Parkinson’s disease may also cause swallowing difficulties, muscle pain, blinking, drooling, or even constipation. Several patients also report low blood pressure, stiff muscles, slowed or monotone speech, and stooped posture.

 

Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease yet, we do have some medications used in conventional treatment that increase the dopamine level in the brain.

 

However, as each over-the-counter medication masks one or two symptoms at max, people are prescribed something we can refer to as a pharmaceutical cocktail.

 

Such a combination of drugs may involve many side effects, namely nausea, vomiting, confusion, hallucinations, low blood pressure, and uncontrolled movements.

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How Does Medical Marijuana Help With Parkinson’s Disease?

As we mentioned before, many drugs prescribed for the disease are accompanied by some significant, negative side effects over time. These, on the contrary, are not present in medical cannabis, which offers a combination of pain-relieving, antioxidative, and anti-anxiety qualities all in one.

 

Many medical marijuana patients report that consuming cannabis calms tremors very effectively, and studies suggest that marijuana can help with Parkinson’s Disease.

 

In 2014, researchers from Tel Aviv University decided to conduct a study with 22 patients suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. The study showed that 30 minutes after smoking cannabis, patients improved significantly in their motor skills.

 

Additionally, marijuana appeared to ease such symptoms as slow movement, tremors, and rigidity. Patients also reported significant progress in pain relief and sleep improvement.

 

Another study conducted by Spanish scientists in 2011 aimed to determine whether or not THC improves motor abilities among rats and mice affected with a motor disease. The researchers found out that THC has a promising pharmacological profile for ameliorating Parkinsonian symptoms

 

More importantly, thanks to the neuroprotective properties of both THC and CBD, marijuana may protect neurons from damage and help them rejuvenate, which means that the plant can help slow the progression of Parkinson’s Disease.

 

As the studies confirmed, cannabis reduces oxidative stress in brain cells, and therefore, it helps to protect them against neurodegenerative damage and death.