Medical Marijuana Pills May Ease Some MS Symptoms: Review

By Maureen Salamon HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, March 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Medical marijuana pills and sprays might ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, but most other alternative therapies do little to lessen the pain and muscle rigidity that often accompanies the disease, according to new guidelines.

To reach that conclusion, an expert panel from the American Academy of Neurology reviewed more than 40 years of research on alternative medicine treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS).

In addition to the recommendations about medical marijuana use, the nine experts also found that ginkgo biloba might help with the fatigue of MS and reflexology may ease MS symptoms such as tingling, numbness and other unusual skin sensations. Bee sting therapy and omega-3 fatty acids, however, offer weak evidence supporting their use.

"It's a very common practice in the MS patient population to try alternative therapies," said the author of the guidelines, Dr. Vijayshree Yadav, clinical director of Oregon Health & Science University's MS Center, in Portland.

"The problem is there was never an evidence-based recommendation for MS patients or those taking care of patients," Yadav said. "This is a first step to educate each audience."

The guidelines are published in the March 25 issue of the journal Neurology.

Affecting more than 2.3 million people worldwide, MS causes a variety of symptoms such as loss of balance, vision loss, bowel problems, slurred speech and numbness, which can come and go. The disease of the central nervous system is thought to be caused by an inflammatory response of the immune system, which attacks nerve tissue in the brain and spinal cord.

According to the academy, two types of conventional drugs are available for the incurable disorder: disease-modifying therapies, which can slow progression and reduce the number of relapses, and symptomatic therapies, which relieve some symptoms but don't affect the course of the disease.

Of all the alternative therapies reviewed, the experts' strongest support was for medical marijuana pills and spray, which moderate evidence indicated could ease MS patients' pain, frequent urination and muscle rigidity known as spasticity. Not enough evidence showed whether smoking marijuana is helpful in treating MS symptoms, Yadav added.

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Medical Marijuana Pills May Ease Some MS Symptoms: Review