Muscle Spasm Cannabis Marijuana.

Seizures are neurological events. Spasms are muscular incidents. Sometimes, they are connected, but muscle spasms are generally associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, cardiac events, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, and other disabling conditions. Medical marijuana continues to help patients with occasional problems from muscular spasm pain to those with chronic and debilitating problems.

There are three types of muscle tissue: cardiac, smooth, and skeletal.

1. Cardiac muscle cells are in the walls of the heart, appear furrowed or striated, and operate involuntarily without nervous or hormonal stimulation.
2. Smooth muscle fibers are in walls of hollow visceral organs like your digestive, reproductive, and urinary tracts. Smooth muscles are not striated or voluntary.
3. Skeletal muscle fibers account for 40% of your body weight. They are striated and attached to the skeleton and under voluntary control. You can voluntarily control skeletal muscle by sending neurological signals, for example, to lift or flex.

Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary, and often unexplained contractions of one or more of your muscles. They cause mild to severe pain, and while generally harmless, muscle cramps can make reduce your quality of life. Technically, they differ from seizures although they can occur simultaneously.

Some spasms occur following intense exercise, heavy physical labor, or in hot humid weather. These spasms end to be short-lived and are treated with heat, cold, massage, hydration, and home remedies.

But, those related to progressive, chronic, and degrading physical conditions can disable and debilitate with life-changing effects. In many of these situations, the repeatedly tightening muscles will shorten the muscles and cause deformities. This aggravates existing conditions and triggers others. For example, when tightened leg muscles create a limp, that stresses the spine leasing to disc issues and pain.

Treatments for muscle spasms

If stretch, hydrating, heating pads, or ice packs don’t work, most people move on to over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve).

Flexeril and cyclobenzaprine are commonly used muscle relaxants, but Drugs.com lists over 20 options with side-effects and user reviews. And, most medical professionals are reluctant to prescribe relaxants as a long-term solution because of their sedating and possible addictive effects.

Even when prescribed, they are recommended as part of a therapeutic regimen including physical therapy, diet, and lifestyle changes.