For pain relief in multiple sclerosis, only therapeutic cannabis has just been recommended by the American Academy of Neurology. Other alternative therapies have not been proven effective.
This is a new step that the American Academy of Neurology has just taken. Medicinal cannabis is not only authorized, it is now recommended. In guidelines that have just been published in the journal Neurology, the Academy indeed recommends cannabis, in tablet or spray form, to relieve the pain and symptoms of spasticity (muscle contractions) of multiple sclerosis. The Academy looked at the main alternative therapies to conventional treatments, such as ginkgo biloba, magnetic therapy, bee sting treatments, diets with fish oil or even reflexology. And only therapeutic cannabis finds favor in his eyes, having proven its effectiveness.
In spray or tablet
On the other hand, it is only the tablet or spray forms that are recommended, because according to the Academy, there is not enough evidence to be able to say that smoking cannabis relieves the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The recommendations also stress that long-term studies are needed, as medical cannabis can cause side effects, such as dizziness, memory problems or depression.
In the United States, therapeutic cannabis has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in multiple sclerosis and in two other indications, nausea and vomiting caused by anticancer chemotherapy, which does not respond to conventional treatments, and in case loss of appetite in patients with AIDS. In France, a first medicinal cannabis-based drug – sativex – was authorized last January to relieve the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
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