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Multiple Sclerosis and Cannabis
by Peter Kershaw , Contributing Writer
According to a study funded by the National MS Society , nearly one million Americans currently suffer from Multiple Sclerosis , with an additional 200 new diagnoses per week . Those figures are more than twice the previous estimates and confirm MS is a growing problem . The National MS Society notes that women are four times as likely to suffer from MS as men . It ’ s believed by some that the national epidemic of obesity may be a contributing factor to the increase in MS ( inflammation plays a role in MS , and obesity is linked to inflammation ). This may also account for why women are far more likely to get MS since women tend to carry more body fat and have a higher BMI ( body mass index ) than men . 1
The onset of MS , both for women and men , typically occurs between ages 20 to 40 . Lateonset MS occurs after age 50 .
MS is a very serious and potentially debilitating autoimmune disease . In MS , the immune system attacks the protective sheath ( myelin ) that covers nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord . The result is nerve fiber communication problems between the brain and body . MS may initially present with relatively mild symptoms but runs the risk of progressing to far more severe symptoms , including permanent nerve damage .
The medical establishment asserts , “ There is no cure for multiple sclerosis ( MS ), but medicines and other treatments can help control the condition and ease some of the symptoms .” Likewise , they offer no hope of preventing the progression of the disease . They further assert , “ The exact cause of MS is unknown .” However , some medical researchers dispute this , and their studies show there to be several autoimmune disease
20 February 2024
“ triggers ” that can result in MS . Where those underlying causes are successfully addressed , it has the potential to abate MS .
Everyone ’ s experience with MS is different , and symptoms may be temporary or longlasting . MS symptoms present as physical and / or mental , including :
● Spasticity , muscle spasms , tremors
● Neuropathic pain ( tingling , burning , etc .)
● Electric shock sensations ( occurring especially with neck movement )
● Slurred speech
● Lack of coordination
● Unsteady gait or inability to walk
● Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side of the body at a time
● Partial or complete loss of vision , usually in one eye at a time , often with pain during eye movement
● Prolonged double vision
● Blurry vision
● Vertigo
● Problems with sexual , bowel , and bladder function
● Chronic fatigue
● Cognitive and memory problems
● Insomnia
● Mood / emotional disorders
The Link Between Parasites and MS
As this author has previously noted , one of the most common things adversely affecting overall health is parasites . “ For many years , parasite infestation was wrongly thought to be exclusively a third-world problem . But recently , the CDC acknowledged that up to 80 % of all Americans are infested with intestinal parasites . Parasites can wreak havoc on our health . They cause gut inflammation . The toxins they release compromise the immune system , potentially resulting in neurological diseases such as MS . The safest , most effective way of getting rid of parasites is a teaspoon of diatomaceous earth ( DE ) ( food grade only ) stirred into a glass of water . Consume DE once / day for at least 45 days .” 2 Not only do parasites release toxins in the gut , they often wreak havoc on the gut ’ s microbiota . All of this can have a significant effect on triggering neuroinflammation . 3 This isn ’ t to say that parasites necessarily cause all MS cases but to note that the possibility shouldn ’ t be dismissed as “ a third-world problem ” ( as it almost always is by the U . S . medical establishment ).
Cannabis and MS
In May / June 2023 , the International Journal of MS Care published Multiple Sclerosis and Use of Medical Cannabis . “ Results : Patients experienced extensive MS symptom improvement after initiation of MC [ medical cannabis ], with alleviation of pain ( 72 % of patients ) and spasticity ( 48 % of patients ) and improvement in sleep ( 40 % of patients ) the most common .” 4 Other studies have confirmed similar , if not even better , results .
The popularity of medical cannabis use among MS patients has grown substantially in the past few years , including among the elderly . As AARP has noted : “ Up to 66 percent of them may be using medical marijuana , a 2017 survey found . It ’ s likely they ’ ve cut back on MS medications , too . In fact , people with MS are the second-largest group of medical marijuana users in the U . S ., behind chronic pain sufferers .” 5
In last month ’ s edition ( January 2024 ), this author wrote about the significant benefits cannabis offers for treating neuropathy . Some of the most common MS symptoms