Can CBD help with epilepsy?
Epilepsy is an abnormal brain disorder that takes place because of continuous seizures. A seizure is an uncontrolled electrical imbalance in the brain that happens suddenly. When two or more seizures happen in a span of 24 hours without any identifiable cause, it is called epilepsy. It is a serious health issue which can cause change in behavior, movements, feelings, and level of consciousness in a person. Although epilepsy is generally treated with medications, diet changes, and in some serious cases, surgery, many have considered CBD as an effective medication as in treating seizure and epilepsy.
What causes epilepsy?
Epilepsy is one of the most common and oldest disorders of the nervous system. It can affect people of all ages and is caused generally by repeated seizures. It is a lifelong condition that has no permanent treatment and needs to be kept under control. Epilepsy can occur in a person because of his or her genes, brain injury, stroke, brain tumor or lack of oxygen during birth. The primary treatment of epilepsy is anti-seizure medicine that keeps seizures under control. Other ways like – a certain type of ketogenic diet or keeping an electrical device inside the body to help control seizure are also used to keep epilepsy under control. Some people also use CBD to help with their epilepsy and seizure. But is it really effective to treat epilepsy?
How can CBD treat epilepsy?
CBD or Cannabidiol is a type of cannabinoid found in Cannabis Sativa, more commonly known as Hemp. Although a component of cannabis, CBD does not have the psychoactive features that are available in THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. So, it does not create euphoria or psychoactivity. On the contrary, CBD is said to be anti-seizure, antipsychotic, neuroprotective, antidepressant and anxiolytic. It can help people with health problems such as insomnia, anxiety, muscle pain etc. CBD is also used to treat seizure and epilepsy, specially rare types of epilepsies that show resistance to anti-seizure drugs.
Recently, CBD has come into light showing efficacy in treating rare epileptic seizures. In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Epidiolex, a CBD oral solution, to be used to treat two rare seizures called Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Dravet syndrome appears during the first year of life with frequent fever-related seizures. It is later accompanied by other types of seizures like myoclonic seizures or unexpected twitching or jerking of muscles. At one stage, status epilepticus may occur which is a potentially life-threatening state of recurring seizures that require emergency medical care. Children undergo poor development of language and motor skills, hyperactivity, and difficulty relating to others because of Dravet syndrome. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome begins in childhood and is characterized by multiple types of seizures. People with this syndrome start having frequent seizures during the age period of 3 to 5. Three out of four individuals with this syndrome have tonic seizures which make their muscles contract uncontrollably. Almost all children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome have learning problems, intellectual disability and delayed development of motor skills such as sitting and crawling. Most people with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome need help with their usual daily activities. For the best CBD oil for seizures and epilepsy, look no further than Dakota Organics! & it’s make CBD oil for seizures and epilepsy
CBD has shown to be most effective for seizures that show resistance to the anti-seizure medications. The effectiveness of CBD has been found by researchers who analyzed data collected between April 2016 and July 2020 from 418 participants of whom, 280 were using CBD products as medicine and 138 were not. At the end of the study, it was found that the CBD users experienced improvements compared to the others.
Side effects of CBD?
While the research found a few side effects of using CBD, these are very mild. Sleepiness, drowsiness, upset stomach are some of the common side effects but these can be controlled by limiting the dosage of CBD. However, if taken in combination with other medications, CBD may increase the risk of liver damage in a person. So, even though the FDA has given permission to take Epidiolex, a CBD oral solution, one should consult with a doctor before taking CBD products.
Conclusion
Neurotic conditions like epilepsy should not be taken lightly as multiple seizures can sometimes result in fatality. While CBD has been successful in keeping epilepsy in check, one must always stay conscious with their body to avoid frequent seizures. The research for finding the magical benefits of CBD has only begun. But the amount of data already found has shown promise of a better future in the medical field.
