Epilepsy or a Seizure Disorder

Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain that causes seizures. Seizures may occur because of a genetic disorder, traumatic brain injury (TBI), central nervous system infections, or stroke. Seizures are a common occurrence, affecting an estimated 8 to 10 percent of the population over a lifetime. If you have been diagnosed with epilepsy or a seizure disorder, you can qualify for medical marijuana in the state of Texas. There are some case studies that report marijuana can decrease seizure frequency, however, randomized trials of the efficacy of cannabinoids for different forms of epilepsy have been completed and await publication. Cannabis can interact with some seizure medications. Make sure to notify your neurologist if you start using medical marijuana.

A man lying on the ground with a backpack, possibly experiencing an epilepsy attack. Possible need to be treated with medical marijuana for epilepsy or seizure disorder at Zen Cannabis Clinic.

Epilepsy: What are seizures?

Seizures are waves of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The brain contains billions of neurons (nerve cells) that communicate via electrical impulses with one another. During a seizure, there is excessive electrical activity in the brain. This can make you pass out, move or behave strangely. Most seizures last only a few seconds or minutes. Epilepsy is a condition that causes people to have repeated seizures. There are different kinds of seizures. “Tonic Clonic” or “grand mal” seizures causes people to pass out and have muscle stiffness followed by jerking movements. People who have other types of seizures have less dramatic changes, such as shaking movements in one part of their body, or suddenly stop responding and stare for a few seconds.

Epilepsy: How are seizures treated?

The right treatment for seizures depends on the cause of them. If seizures are due to an infection, you will need to treat the infection. But if you have repeated seizures, you will probably need anti-seizure medicines, or “anti-convulsant” medicine. Recently Texas authorized the use of medical marijuana for patients who have diagnoses of Seizure Disorders. You should speak with your neurologist prior to taking medical marijuana. Zen Cannabis Clinic works with you to find the right combination of THC/CBD.