Hemp cbd oil seizures

Updated on January 7, Medical content reviewed by Dr. Joseph Rosado , MD, M. A, Chief Medical Officer. Either the patient experiences severe side effects from the medication, or they have a treatment-resistant form of epilepsy. With the legalization of medical marijuana in many states, the medical community is discovering its plethora of applications — including anti-epileptic properties.

Medical Marijuana and Epilepsy

Every day, we experience emotions, thoughts, and stimuli from our external environment. The way we experience these thoughts and sensations is through our central nervous system. Our central nervous system communicates through electrical signals between neurons, which are the cells that make up the brain.

Most of the time, this system functions normally. However, these electrical signals can become abnormal, and the brain can become over-excited. When this happens, it results in a seizure.

In addition, many people report experiencing serious side effects with anti-seizure medications. There is a growing body of evidence to support using CBD for seizures. Both research and anecdotal evidence suggest that CBD products are an effective adjunct therapy in seizures and treatment of epilepsy.

Seizures result from the over-excitement of electrical signals in the brain. When a person experiences more than two seizures, they are typically diagnosed with epilepsy. Current antiepileptic drugs do not control seizures in a large portion of patients, and people are looking to alternative therapies such as CBD. Currently, the FDA has approved a prescription CBD product for the treatment of some types of seizures, and there is a growing body of evidence to support the treatment of seizures with CBD oil.

Seizures occur when there is a surge of electrical activity in the brain. The symptoms of a seizure depend on which areas of the brain are affected. For instance, some people begin to convulse violently, while other people stare blankly for a period of time.

Epilepsy is diagnosed when a person has experienced at least two unprovoked seizures. There are several types of seizures, which fall into two categories. The first type is focal seizures, and the second type is generalized seizures. Generalized seizures affect all parts of the brain.

There are six categories of generalized seizures:. In the majority of cases, the cause of epilepsy is unknown. However, there are some risk factors for epilepsy, which include:. Complications of seizures depend on the type and severity of seizures. Additionally, there is a risk of status epilepticus—which are prolonged seizures—which can cause brain damage. Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which are severe types of epilepsy that typically present in infancy or childhood, have a high risk of mortality.

Currently, there is no antiepileptic medication that effectively treats Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in the United States. The current treatments available for epilepsy are antiepileptic drugs and other anti-seizure medications. In some cases, children grow out of their seizures, and in other cases, people require lifelong treatment.

Many patients experience side effects like dizziness, fatigue, weight gain, memory issues, and depression. Because the current treatments for seizures are only somewhat effective, people are looking to alternative treatments.

Examples include the ketogenic diet and herbal approaches, including using CBD products for treating their epilepsy. CBD is also known as cannabidiol, and it comes from the cannabis sativa plant. There are different strains of the cannabis plant, including medical marijuana and the industrial hemp plant—which is where the CBD for CBD products comes from. What makes these plants different from one another is the number of different cannabinoids they contain.

The marijuana plant contains high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol THC , which is a psychoactive cannabinoid, whereas the industrial hemp plant, which CBD products come from, contains very little THC. CBD products have caught the attention of the American people and are becoming more popular every day.

Many people report that using CBD helps their pain, anxiety, and sleeping issues, without the side effects of most medications. Clinical trials on using CBD oil for various uses have been very promising. Epidiolex, a purified, pharmaceutical-grade CBD product has been approved by the U. This approval is the first of its kind in the treatment of any medical condition with a CBD product.

Until this point, these two conditions did not have any FDA-approved treatments. Research on Epidolex shows that it is effective in treatment-resistant seizures of all types in both adults and children. Using this product resulted in improvements in both the severity and frequency of seizures. The FDA approval not only gives hope to people with this form of epilepsy, it also shows that CBD oil can be an effective treatment for treatment-resistant epilepsy.

Therefore, it is a promising option to treat seizures of various types. The first type of studies that looked at using CBD for seizures were animal studies. CBD products have been studied in humans with Dravet syndrome.

Clinical trials show that CBD oil significantly reduced the frequency of convulsive seizures with this condition over a week time frame. However, the majority of the participants experienced adverse side effects, including fatigue, dizziness, and sleepwalking. In addition, some individuals experienced elevated liver enzymes.

Cannabidiol has also been shown to be effective in clinical trials in the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. A recent study found that CBD oil decreased seizure frequency in epilepsy patients and was generally well tolerated. Although many participants in the study experienced some adverse side effects, the majority of them were mild to moderate. Although CBD is generally well tolerated, it can cause side effects, including dry mouth, fatigue, and diarrhea.

CBD oil may also interact with some medications, including blood thinners, so it should never be used without first consulting your physician. There have been several clinical trials that demonstrate that CBD may be able to treat treatment-resistant seizures and treat epilepsy effectively. While cannabis products containing THC are still illegal in most states, the Farm Bill makes it clear that hemp products containing trace amounts of THC are legal at a federal level in the United States.

As previously mentioned, the FDA has approved the use of Epidiolex for certain types of treatment-resistant seizures. More research is currently being conducted on the medical use of CBD for other conditions. The increase in scientific investigations is due in part to many testimonies like this one from a veteran, that indicate the medical use of CBD may significantly increase the quality of life for many people without adverse effects.

There is good evidence to support using CBD for treating seizures. When purchasing CBD products, choose those that have undergone third-party testing to ensure they meet certain quality and purity standards. If you are considering using CBD products to treat your seizures, always speak with your doctor first. Understanding Seizures Seizures occur when there is a surge of electrical activity in the brain. Type of Seizures There are several types of seizures, which fall into two categories.

Focal Seizures Focal seizures affect one part of the brain. There are two types of focal seizures: Complex focal seizures can cause a change in or loss of consciousness, as well as cause repetitive movements, including chewing, swallowing, or hand rubbing. Partial focal seizures do not cause a change in consciousness. They typically cause a change in emotions or the perception of how things look, smell, feel, taste, or sound. These kinds of seizures may also cause muscle twitches, numbness, or tingling.

Generalized Seizures Generalized seizures affect all parts of the brain. There are six categories of generalized seizures: Absence seizures are most common in children. They typically cause a person to stare into space and cause rapid blinking or lip smacking. Tonic-clonic seizures, also known as grand mal seizures, cause a person to fall to the ground and convulse.

In these types of seizures, a person loses consciousness. Atonic seizures cause a person to lose their muscle control and collapse. Clonic seizures cause repetitive muscle jerking of the neck, face, and arms. Myoclonic seizures cause muscle jerks of the arms and legs. Causes of Epilepsy In the majority of cases, the cause of epilepsy is unknown. Alternative Treatments for Seizures Because the current treatments for seizures are only somewhat effective, people are looking to alternative treatments.

What is CBD? Featured Product. Disclaimer Please read this document before using or purchasing CBD oil click here.

Hemp traditionally contains lower concentrations of THC and higher levels of CBD. Cannabinoids extracted from hemp plants, including CBD. Treating Epilepsy with CBD Oil. Only certain patients have access to the cannabis-based oil under Texas' restrictive law.

One special area of interest is how hemp extracts and derivatives impact individuals with seizure-based conditions. This is a topic important to many as epilepsy — a condition characterized by unpredictable seizures — is the fourth most common neurological disorder that afflicts 65 million people worldwide and 3. And if neither of these medications work, there is less than a 1 percent chance that a third will provide relief either, making hemp oil an even more critical option to consider since others have failed.

The use of cannabis to treat epilepsy and other neurological conditions has been studied for a number of years. It has been hotly debated too.

A marijuana plant extract, also known as cannabidiol CBD , is being commonly used to improve anxiety, sleep problems, pain, and many other neurological conditions. Now UNC School of Medicine researchers show it may alleviate seizures and normalize brain rhythms in Angelman syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental condition. Published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation , the research conducted using Angelman syndrome animal models shows that CBD could benefit kids and adults with this serious condition, which is characterized by intellectual disability, lack of speech, brain rhythm dysfunction, and deleterious and often drug-resistant epilepsy.

Cannabis oil for epilepsy

On 1 November , the Government's landmark decision to reschedule some cannabis based products for medicinal use, came into force. The change in law means that specialist doctors in the UK can now prescribe medicinal cannabis to people with a limited number of conditions, including epilepsy. Here we explain what the change in law means for people with epilepsy. Cannabis is made up of hundreds of different components. These are found naturally in the resin of the cannabis plant.

CBD may alleviate seizures, benefit behaviors in people with neurodevelopmental conditions

Increasing evidence suggests that non-psychotropic cannabis-derived compounds, such as pharmaceutical grade cannabidiol CBD , can help to manage seizures in children with treatment-resistant epilepsy. But little guidance exists for doctors on the proper concentration and dosing of CBD and other cannabinoids, as well as on their pharmacological characteristics. The trial is still recruiting at clinical sites in British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec and Saskatchewan. Children were then weaned off CHE over their final month of trial participation. After the weaning period, these children continued to experience fewer seizures compared to pre-treatment, without any changes in their anti-convulsant treatment regimen. Better quality of life was also reported, with greatest improvements being on the cognitive, social and emotional functioning subscales of the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire QOLCE Some of these children started to talk or crawl for the first time. No clinically significant events were directly attributed to treatment with CHE. Although the benefits of CHE seemed to be associated with the relative CBD dose, analysis of its metabolism in the body suggested a potential saturation effect with increased oral bioavailability in some patients.

By SciTechDaily February 27, CBD is a cannabis component that relieves stress and anxiety and has anti-seizure properties.

There are many treatments for seizures in children, but not all children respond to one or more of them. Cannabis oil is a new and sometimes controversial treatment that is currently gaining ground as a natural and non-invasive way to keep seizures under control. Cannabis is the proper name for marijuana, a cousin of the hemp plant and one that has long been classified as an illegal substance.

CBD for Seizures: Is it Safe and Effective?

But last summer, his mother Shena Pearson explained, his condition began to deteriorate quickly. Read our daily updates HERE. Because exercise triggered his seizures, his school stopped allowing him to participate in physical education, leading to weight gain. His grades were dropping and his memory was fading, too. Teachers told Shena that Trysten was less distracted at school and that his performance had improved. In his first 30 days on his new treatment, he had just one seizure. CBD oil is derived from the cannabis plant, also known as marijuana. CBD oil provides symptom relief without intoxicating effects. A different substance in the plant, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is responsible for the high associated with cannabis. In June , Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law the Texas Compassionate Use Act after it passed both chambers of the state legislature by wide, bipartisan margins. Meanwhile, doctors have been slow to sign up for the program as they navigate the new law. As of late June, just 42 physicians across Texas were registered with the state to become CBD oil prescribers, including 12 in Harris County, though not all are prescribing CBD oil at this point. According to the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas, approximately , Texans have been diagnosed with the form of epilepsy that would make them eligible for the program.

Best CBD Oils to Help Manage Epilepsy

Every day, we experience emotions, thoughts, and stimuli from our external environment. The way we experience these thoughts and sensations is through our central nervous system. Our central nervous system communicates through electrical signals between neurons, which are the cells that make up the brain. Most of the time, this system functions normally. However, these electrical signals can become abnormal, and the brain can become over-excited. When this happens, it results in a seizure.