Kentucky Medical Marijuana for Muscle Spasms, Spasticity, Chronic Nausea, and Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome.
The medical marijuana program in Kentucky is gradually growing to offer relief to patients with debilitating conditions that are many and varied. Some of the approved qualifying conditions include muscle spasms, spasticity, chronic nausea and cyclical vomiting syndrome. Traditional medications can be inadequate to manage the symptoms of many patients, or they can have some troublesome side effects. This is where medical cannabis is a viable alternative.
We are going to examine in this blog a little bit closer how the medical marijuana laws in the state are approaching these particular conditions, the science behind cannabis as a treatment modal, and what patients should know in the event that they are contemplating requesting a medical marijuana certification in the state of Kentucky.
Medical Marijuana in Kentucky, A Short Review
In 2023, a bill to introduce a medical cannabis program, Senate Bill 47, was signed by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. Although the legislation is still at a rollout stage, it provides a list of qualifying medical conditions, in which patients can be eligible to use medical marijuana with a physician recommendation.
Such qualifying conditions are:
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Epilepsy or other intractable seizure disorders
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Multiple sclerosis
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Muscle spasms and spasticity
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Chronic nausea
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Cyclical vomiting syndrome
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Cancer
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PTSD
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Chronic and severe pain
Kentucky lawmakers have cited such conditions as muscle spasms and disorders associated with nausea by incorporating it into the list and acknowledging the emerging body of research in support of cannabis as a therapeutic choice.
Kentucky Medical Marijuana to Relieve Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms are involuntary contractions, which may vary in nature to mild twitching, and severe cramping which may be painful. They are commonly related with multiple sclerosis, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), spinal cord injuries and some of the neurological disorders.
Muscle relaxants or anti-spasticity medication are commonly used in helping to relieve, although these medications can make an individual feel drowsy, develop dependency, or experience only minimal relief. Consistent and sustainable relief may be a day-to-day task to many patients.
The Way Cannabis Works on Muscle Spasms
Medical marijuana has been discovered to slow the rate and severity of muscle spasms. The cannabinoid family, especially THC and CBD, connects with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) of the body to balance nerve transmission and hyperactive muscle contraction.
In states that have developed medical cannabis, patients often report:
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Decreased spasm frequency
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Less severe muscle pain
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Better mobility
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Feel more comfortable at sleep-time
Indeed, the research of multiple sclerosis patients demonstrates that cannabis is potentially more effective than certain conventional pharmaceuticals in regulating the activity of spastic muscles.
Medical marijuana could become a safer and more effective substitute to prescription drugs soon in the case of Kentuckians struggling with muscle spasms.
Kentucky Medical Marijuana Spasticity
Spasticity is confused with muscle spasms, although it is somewhat different. Whereas spasms are involuntary sudden contractions, spasticity is the ongoing tightness or stiffness of muscles through defective nerve impulses. This abnormality is predominant in patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy or spinal cord injuries.
Spasticity Relief with Cannabis
There is a lot of research that has been done regarding cannabis as a means of treatment of the MS-related spasticity. A 2017 report commissioned by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences found that there is substantial evidence in support of cannabis as an effective treatment of spasticity.
CBD and the most popular cannabinoids, CBD and THC, act together and provide the following effect:
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Relax muscle tension
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Reduce nerve-related pain
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Improve range of motion
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Improve sleep quality that has been broken by muscle stiffness
In the case of multiple sclerosis patients or patients with spinal cord injuries, this can be a life-saving change. Such standard drugs as baclofen or tizanidine can help, but it is accompanied by other side effects as excessive drowsiness, dizziness, or even liver problems with prolonged therapy. Medical marijuana provides a natural substitute which most patients can tolerate better.
Kentucky has a program related to medical marijuana where the patient with spasticity can be eligible to use it as soon as it becomes fully operational. This is especially encouraging to those who have no more treatment avenue left without success.
Kentucky Medical Marijuana to Treat Chronic Nausea
Chronic nausea is not a once or twice a day stomach ache, but a chronic debilitating symptom that can be caused by chemotherapy, gastrointestinal disorders, migraine, or neurological problems. Chronic nausea may have a dismal effect on nutrition, hydration and general quality of life when left untreated.
The Reason Why Cannabis is Effective in Nausea
A long history exists in the use of cannabis to treat nausea and vomiting. Indeed, decades ago, synthetic THC (dronabinol) was approved by the FDA to treat nausea and vomiting that were caused by chemotherapy. Nevertheless, whole-plant cannabis is the choice of many patients due to the entourage effect, or the synergistic effect of various cannabinoids and terpenes.
Medical marijuana assists in chronic nausea and it does so by:
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Soothing hyperirritable intestinal messages
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Stimulating appetite (particularly when trying to gain weight due to cancer and HIV/AIDS)
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Lessening the mental agonies that may aggravate nausea
As a chronic nausea patient, the medical cannabis can offer both a short-term and long-term benefit to the functionality of the patients in the state of Kentucky.
Kentucky Marijuana to Treat Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome
Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) is a severe, debilitating disorder of rare occurrence that is recurrent nausea and vomiting. Episodes may take hours or even days and patients end up being dehydrated, exhausted and in a position to perform normal activities. And to some, it may be the uncertainty of the attacks that can be as hard to deal with as the symptoms.
Will Medical Marijuana Be a Help with CVS?
There is some developing evidence that cannabis and especially CBD-rich preparations can be involved in stabilizing endocannabinoid system and preventing the occurrence of vomiting. In states where medical cannabis is available, patients have experienced a reduction in the number of flare-ups and reduction in the severity of symptoms during cannabis use under medical advice.
But there is a critical point that needs to be noted: the chronic and regular use of cannabis over a long period of time has been associated with a disorder known as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), which can present symptoms similar to those of cyclical vomiting. Dosing and monitoring are therefore necessary because of this. The patients of CVS in Kentucky are to collaborate with a healthcare provider to obtain the optimal ratio between managing the symptoms and preventing possible complications.
Applying to Get Medical Marijuana in Kentucky
In Kentucky, there is a system to obtain medical marijuana; patients will have to undergo a process:
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Have a diagnoses of a qualifying medical condition, including muscle spasms, spasticity, chronic nausea, or cyclic vomiting syndrome.
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Get the certified physician of the state of Kentucky who is registered in the medical marijuana program of the state.
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Register an application on the system of a medical marijuana card at the Kentucky medical cannabis registry to receive one after the system becomes operational.
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Legally acquire purchase products within licensed dispensaries within the state.
The program will enable the delivery of a variety of products, such as tinctures, oils, capsules, edibles. Although people may not be allowed to smoke raw cannabis, they will probably be able to use vaporized or processed cannabis.
Patient Benefits Other Than Symptom Relief
To a large group of Kentuckians, the benefits of medical marijuana are far more than short-term control of symptoms. Muscle spasms, spasticity, and nausea-related conditions can be treated to improve the overall quality of life of the patients.
The more general advantages are:
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Reduced use of opioids and muscle relaxants – Cannabis can replace highly addictive or sedative drugs, preventing patients to become dependent on it and experience detrimental side effects.
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Better quality of sleep – Both muscle spasms and nausea tend to interrupt sleep. The calming action of medical marijuana can help to get a more deep and restful sleep.
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Improved everyday functioning – Feeling less symptomatic, patients can now more easily engage in work, family life and social activities.
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Mental health support – Constant pain, nausea, or vomiting can be relieved, which in turn can minimize anxiety and depression, which is often a part of chronic illness.
Looking Ahead in Kentucky
With the program unfolding in Kentucky, both patients and providers are optimistic that the implementation will focus on accessibility and educating the patients. To use it safely and effectively, it is necessary to know the dosing, types of products, and the side effects.
One more point is that medical marijuana does not fit the one-size-fits-all treatment. The response of the individual patients can be different based on the condition of the patient, their medical history, and the formulation of cannabis that they are taking. It is the reason why collaboration with a medical professional will continue to be a significant aspect of the treatment plan.
Final Thoughts
Inclusion of muscle spasms, spasticity, chronic nausea and cyclical vomiting syndrome in the Kentucky medical marijuana program can be taken as evidence of the state being devoted to compassionate care. To a large number of people, cannabis is not only a way of relieving symptoms but also a way of taking control of their health and life.
Once you or a loved one is affected by these conditions, then it is high time that you learn more about how medical marijuana in Kentucky can be helpful.