300,000 people in the United States and Canada suffer from dystonia. Dystonia is a movement disorder where your muscles contract, making you have frequent involuntary movements or posture changes that are often repetitive. This disease can sometimes get in the way of everyday activities, cause social isolation, and can be painful from all of the muscle contractions. With this wave of acceptance and new research of medical cannabis, do we know if CBD can help treat dystonia?

Cannabidiol (CBD) may be able to help with patients who have dystonia according to research. CBD oil may be able to help with the symptoms both physical and mental health related. Because hemp oil has access to the endocannabinoid system, it may be able to offer a broad range of therapeutic benefits for people with dystonia from helping with the muscle contractions to reducing anxiety.

Studies Show Improvement In Symptoms

In the 80’s, researchers gave a senior woman and a thirty-one-year-old man CBD orally to help with their dystonic symptoms. The senior woman began to notice the effects in three hours. Her condition made her neck pull to the right eight to twelve times a minute, but after taking the CBD, it was reduced to two to four times a minute.

The thirty-one-year-old man was bound to a wheelchair because of his condition. After two hours of taking the CBD orally, he was able to walk, and the effects of the CBD lasted for twenty-four hours. This study led researchers to believe that cannabidiol can act as a muscle relaxer.

Studies with patients have shown that when taking CBD orally, most patients had improvement that ranged from 20%-50%. Newer research has stated that cannabidiol may be able to help prevent movement disorders, including delaying the progression of dystonia.

CBD For Pain

Cannabidiol has also shown in studies that it can reduce our sensitivity to pain. By elevating the endocannabinoid anandamide, hemp oil can help dull the pain felt from frequent contractions. Unlike other painkillers and muscle relaxers, cannabidiol doesn’t have the same risky side-effects and isn’t addictive.

CBD For Mental Health

Social isolation, pain, and interruption in everyday activities can lead someone to become depressed or anxious. Cannabidiol has shown that it can help with depression, possibly faster than common pharmaceuticals. The endocannabinoid anandamide that is elevated and helps with pain can also help reduce anxiety symptoms.

Talking To Your Doctor

If you have decided that you would like to take CBD for your dystonia, have a talk with your doctor. If you are on any other medications, mixing certain ones with CBD oil can cause adverse effects. Letting your doctor in on how you decide to treat yourself can also help them monitor you more closely, so you can know for sure if CBD is the best route for you to take.