The accepted definition of epilepsy is “a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.” This is the basic understanding. On the outside, epileptic seizures can appear incredibly distressing. With good reason, the seizures are violent within the brain of the victim regardless of what bystanders see on the outside.
CBD and Childhood Seizures
The primary studies done with cannabis extracts including CBD for the control of drug-resistant seizures were done with children who have a rare form of epilepsy. In Dravets syndrome, children have dozens to hundreds of seizures per day and it is completely drug-resistant. That is, until CBD came along, it was.
With a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers were able to discover that the CBD treated children experienced nearly half the number of seizures per month than the group receiving placebo. This was the first, most relevant research done properly in order to assess the efficacy of CBD for seizures and epilepsy.
It is important to understand that CBD is not yet an approved treatment for epilepsy in general. At this time, full efficacy for this qualification is under way in the United States. In Canada, it is a different story, as it is in Europe. They have standard marijuana medications that are high in CBD for the treatment of various disorders including epilepsy.
There is, however, evidence that many American doctors are leaning on that suggests medical marijuana can be helpful in controlling seizures. Medical marijuana doctors at THC Physicians cite cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive compound of cannabis, helps in the reduction of seizures and the drug, administered properly, is a reasonable treatment for the treatment of seizures with limited side effects.
Latest Findings
Currently, the giant debate of the legality of medical marijuana is impairing research on all constituents of cannabis including CBD. Though CBD is the legal, non-psychoactive component of cannabis, there is validity for the psychoactive constituent THC. Both have to be studied together to gain a full understanding.
Further research has shown that CBD is useful for treating Lennox-Gastaut syndrome which is a form of epilepsy that starts in childhood and extends to adulthood. It is also mostly resistant to traditional epilepsy drugs. It will respond to CBD but may also respond to THC. As legalities go, the research capabilities are not always possible.
As for the most common forms of epilepsy which are unexplained and don’t have names, including the types that manifest in adulthood, medical marijuana as a whole has become the focus, though CBD is currently at the front of succeeding to make it into clinical studies, particularly in Canada.
You can learn more about the differences between CBD and THC at https://www.americanhempoil.net/cbd-vs-cannabis-oil/ as well as some other sites with chemical explanations that may be a little bit tougher to understand.
Conclusion
Cannabis, overall, is clearly one solution to controlling seizures. CBD, CBG, other cannabinoids, and THC have all demonstrated some beneficial effect. What needs to be done now is engaging double-blind study to determine how the whole cannabis plants can assist with this terrible and distressing disease.
The best thing to do is keep your mind open about a once controversial plant. Support research and the legality of medical cannabis in your State. Many legislators are becoming more open to the relevant medical applications of cannabis and do want to support it as a reasonable treatment.
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