Lupus is an autoimmune disease; a chronic illness affecting the entire system, similar in nature to Rheumatoid Arthritis or Crohns. There are several different types of Lupus, but the one most commonly referred to is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or SLE. This is said to be the most severe form of Lupus, because it can affect any of the body’s organs. The disease presents as inflammation or other problems affecting the skin, joints, kidneys, blood, and even the heart, and these symptoms can come and go in periods of flare up and remission. Flare ups can be triggered by a number of factors including stress, light, medications, diet, and more. As with many chronic conditions, sufferers find they have sensitivity to a range of stimuli, and their daily lives are continually affected. It isn’t really well known what exactly causes Lupus, but the opinion seems to settle on it stemming from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, an estimated 2 million Americans have some form of Lupus. The effects ranging from mildly irritating to painfully debilitating and as a chronic condition the disease doesn’t go away on its own. There hasn’t been much success treating it using conventional medications either, one reason a growing number of patients (like those suffering from other chronic conditions) have turned to cannabis for relief of their symptoms and to help them control the disease. I actually came across a few articles discussing Lupus treatment when I was searching for information on Lyme disease and cannabis. Interestingly, like a number of other inflammation based, hard to treat disorders, Lupus and Lyme disease react similarly to treatment using cannabis compounds. In studies focusing more specifically on cannabis’ potential for the treatment of autoimmune disease, researchers found that the ability of cannabis to suppress inflammation has proven highly effectual at treating a number of hard to treat disorders of which chronic inflammation is a major part. Inflammation plays an important role in protecting and healing the body from injury or infection. However, with an autoimmune disorder such as Lupus, the body’s immune functions go into overdrive and there is inflammation when there is no need for its function; the body is negatively reacting to healthy tissue with no presence of injury or infection. Instead of acting to repair the body, chronic inflammation causes the destruction, thickening, and scarring of tissue. Chronic inflammation can have a debilitating, lifelong effects on the sufferer and there is little in the way of modern pharmaceutical medications to offer relief. Cannabis is well known as a reliever of pain and inflammation, different types of applications (topical, sublingual, edible, smoking/vaping) have varying levels of effectiveness for treating these symptoms, but patients who turn to cannabis are sure to find relief no matter the route they prefer for taking their medicine. In one article I read, a Lupus patient claimed the best treatment for the chronic inflammation and other effects of Lupus was to ingest cannabis oil high in the cannabinoid CBD (see our related blog on cannabinoids) orally on a regular basis, much the same way you would take other medicines generally prescribed. Reportedly this route of treatment is the best for ongoing lasting relief from the symptoms of the disease, allowing the patient to regain control of their lives and get back to doing the things they love. If cannabis really can offer that to a patient, I think it is definitely worth a try!
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 04:17:33 +0000
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