Over the last few decades, the health benefits of cannabinoids has become an increasingly popular topic, but can this help those with the rare disease that is MPS?
This eBook explores the health benefits of cannabinoids, and the potential medical advantages it could bring to patients who have the rare disease mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS). Here, Susanne Gerit Kircher, co-founder of the Austrian MPS Society tells us more.
Curious to learn about the health benefits of cannabinoids and what it means for an MPS patient? Have a read of the eBook here.
Cannabinoids and MPS
Pain is common in MPS patients but underdiagnosed and undertreated. Pain originates from storage and damaged structures, such as hip joints, shoulders or spine, arthritis of the small joints or other musculoskeletal structures.
Moreover, visceral structures, hepatomegaly and abdominal disturbances can be responsible for visceral pain. Many MPS patients suffer from neuropathic pain, referred as hyperalgesia, hyperaesthesia, and allodynia, involving nociceptive free nerve endings or vasospasms.
Majority of these severely affected patients have spasms and spasticity, especially with progression of the MPS disease.
Cannabinoids have fewer side effects than many medicines that are used to relieve pain, such as corticosteroids and opioids, medical cannabis could be an alternative to opioid use and proposes the opportunity of reducing pain and improving the quality of life. For MPS patients affected with conditions such as hydrocephaly, suffering from headaches, vomiting and irritability, it can be helpful to offer an additional treatment with cannabinoids.
Improving awareness of cannabis is important as it could be an additional new therapy for patients with rare diseases. New therapies show us that life expectancy is increasing dramatically, and one focus in the near future should be the scientific exploration of pain and treatment in MPS, including possible use of cannabinoids.
A breakdown of what the eBook entails
- About MPS Society;
- The world of mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS);
- Medical cannabis; and
- Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) and the potential role of cannabinoids.
Excited to read the eBook? Click here to start reading: Mucopolysaccharidoses: Let’s talk about medical cannabis.
MPS Austria supports patients and families of patients with care, knowledge, and experience. Want to learn more about what the charity does? Click here to learn about the Austrian MPS Society.
