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Get a Louisiana Medical Marijuana Card to Treat Concussion Symptoms
Concussion is the technical term for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by an external force to the head. They occur when enough impact forces on the skull are applied to cause the brain tissue within the skull to move around.
This can cause symptoms such as unconsciousness, memory loss, and swelling of the brain. Concussions can also leave a lasting impact on brain function, and many symptoms of repeated TBIs or concussions can show up many years after the impact.
Concussions qualify for Louisiana medical marijuana, and cannabis may help relieve both acute and chronic symptoms.
What are the Symptoms of Concussions?
There are many symptoms that can happen after sustaining a concussion. However, the most
common concussion symptom is headache pain. Other concussion symptoms include
nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, confusion, amnesia (memory loss), and
feeling dazed or "in a fog."
Other symptoms can show up either immediately or many years after having experienced a concussion. These may include difficulty remembering events or details about one’s life, new or different emotional behavior, and concussions can even cause some to develop an entirely different personality.
How are Concussions Diagnosed?
Concussions can be difficult to diagnose due to the nature of how symptoms may or may not present themselves.
After experiencing an impact to the skull, a doctor will ask about the location of the injury and what happened before the injury occurred. They will also ask about concussion symptoms to help with concussion diagnosis. In some cases, concussion symptoms will not present themselves for a few days or a week after the injury occurs, making diagnosis and treatment more difficult.
Sometimes a CT scan will be performed to determine whether any fracturing or bleeding from the skull or brain has occurred. In cases where symptoms are ongoing after 48 hours, an MRI may be helpful.
How are Concussions Treated?
Unfortunately, there is no universal treatment for concussions, and most concussions are
treated with time and rest.
If a concussion leads to more developed or long-term symptoms, treatment plans will focus around treating the symptoms of the condition, rather than the condition itself.
Because of the high amount of variability in how concussion symptoms can present themselves, specialists and neurologists are the doctors equipped with the knowledge to treat concussions, and primary care physicians are typically limited to only diagnosing the condition.
When concussions lead to more severe complications or symptoms such as amnesia, personality changes, or long-term cognitive impairment, individual cases are examined, and treatment plans are designed to revolve around the specific symptoms the patient is experiencing.
Can Medical Marijuana Help with Concussions?
Chronic concussion sufferers are sometimes prescribed medications like antidepressants
or sleep aids, but these strategies produce mixed results and many concussion
patients do not get better with traditional pharmaceutical medications.
There is no cure for concussion, and treatment of concussions should ideally address all concussion symptoms simultaneously, since they often compound each other (e.g., headaches cause dizziness which causes nausea).
Sometimes concussion sufferers also develop brain injuries that extend beyond the original concussion injury (e.g., slowing overall cognitive function), so heightened attention to long term complications is key.
When it comes to marijuana and concussions, research has shown that medical marijuana could be helpful in preventing or alleviating concussion symptoms. Marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing concussion-related nausea and headaches, which can heavily increase quality of life.
Get a Louisiana Medical Marijuana for Concussions
Concussions can be a strange and difficult condition to diagnose, treat, and live with.
Because of the research-based information on medical marijuana and concussions, Louisiana approves the use of medical marijuana for concussions.
To find out more about using medical marijuana for concussions, consult with our staff of
qualified doctors that can help walk you through the path of getting medical marijuana to help with symptoms.
Our doctors can be reached at (833) 253-2943 to help answer any questions you may have about getting Louisiana medical marijuana for concussions.
Get Approved in Three Easy Steps!
Step 1
Schedule a telemedicine appointment by calling us at (833) 253-2943.
Step 2
Meet virtually with one of our certified physicians through telemedicine to discuss your medical history.
Step 3
With the doctor's approval, you'll receive your recommendation from the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy.