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Can Medical Marijuana Ease Symptoms of MS?

Oral medical marijuana spray and medical marijuana pills may reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), such as painful spasms and pain. There is no evidence that smoking marijuana has the same effect, according to new guidelines.          

Released by the American Academy of Neurology and focusing on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies for MS, the guidelines include oral cannabis, medical marijuana pills, oral medical cannabinoid spray, Ginko biloba, low-fat diet with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, reflexology, bee venom, and magnetic therapy.
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The panel of AAN researchers based their guidelines on a review of 115 clinical studies.

They found:

  • Medical marijuana pills (oral cannabis extract and orally delivered synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol) are possibly effective for reducing symptoms of spasticity and pain. However, the pills are ineffective for objective spasticity or tremors.
  • Medical marijuana spray can help reduce spasticity, pain, and urinary frequency. However, it isn’t effective for objective spasticity, urinary incontinence, or tremors.
  • Magnetic therapy is probably effective for fatigue and ineffective for depression.
  • Fish oil is probably ineffective for relapses, disability, fatigue, MRI lesions, and quality of life.
  • Ginkgo biloba is ineffective for cognition and possibly effective for fatigue.
  • Reflexology is possibly effective for parasthesia.
  • The Cari Loder regimen (a combination of prescription anti-depressants) is possibly ineffective for disability, symptoms, depression and fatigue.
  • Bee sting therapy is possibly infective for relapses, disability, fatigue, lesion burder/volume, and health-related quality of life.

Researchers did note that medical marijuana pills or spray can cause certain side effects, including seizures, dizziness, cognition and memory problems, and depression. Long-term safety of the use of marijuana in pill or spray form is unknown.

References:

Yadav V, Bever C, Bowen J, et al. Summary of evience-based guideline: complementary and alternative medicine in multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 2014;82(12):1083-1092.