Spastic Quadriplegia
Eight out of ten people diagnosed with cerebral palsy live with the most severe form, spastic quadriplegia, which causes stiff, painful muscles. As skilled physicians and medical marijuana specialists, the Kaya Life team helps people with spastic quadriplegia get much-needed relief from chronic pain and muscle spasms with marijuana. Connect online or call the office in Gulfport, Mississippi, to learn more about the benefits of medical marijuana today.
What is spastic quadriplegia?
Spastic quadriplegia, the most common and severe type of cerebral palsy, develops when the brain is injured or doesn’t develop properly before birth or during delivery or infancy.
The damage prevents communication between the brain and muscles, resulting in stiff, tight muscles (spasticity) in all four limbs and the body (quadriplegia). Some may also have spasticity in their face and tongue.
What are the symptoms of spastic quadriplegia?
Stiff, rigid muscles make walking difficult or impossible and affect overall movement. The joints may flex uncontrollably, making your fingers close or forcing your elbows or knees to bend.
Some with spastic quadriplegia struggle to talk, eat, swallow, or hold items. At the same time, they may have weak, floppy neck muscles.
If you’ve ever had a muscle spasm, you know how painful it can be. Spasticity causes similar or worse pain.
In addition to chronic pain, the excessive physical stress of tight muscles may lead to many possible health problems, including:
- Fatigue
- Bone deformities
- Weak bones
- Muscle wasting
- Fractures
- Overuse injuries
- Pinched nerves
- Early arthritis
- Premature aging
People with spastic quadriplegia have a high risk of developing other health conditions. Many have speech, language, or vision problems, developmental or cognitive disabilities, and seizures or epilepsy.
How is spastic quadriplegia treated?
Treating spastic quadriplegia requires a team of specialists to help with its wide range of symptoms and conditions. Your treatment plan may include:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Speech-language therapy
- Medications
- Botox® injections
- Surgery (to lengthen muscles and tendons, correct deformities, or release nerves)
- Assistive devices (wheelchairs, scooters, braces, hearing aids, orthotics, and others)
If you struggle with chronic severe pain, you may need intrathecal therapy, which uses an implanted pump to send medications like muscle relaxants and pain relievers into the spinal fluid.
How does medical marijuana help spastic quadriplegia?
Medical marijuana is proven to relax muscles, reduce spasticity, and alleviate chronic muscle and nerve pain. Marijuana’s active ingredient is so effective it’s approved for any chronic condition that causes muscle spasms, chronic pain, or muscle wasting.
In Mississippi, spastic quadriplegia is one of the medical conditions that qualifies for medical marijuana. Minors can receive marijuana if they’re approved by a certified provider at Kaya Life and a parent or legal guardian gives consent and agrees to take responsibility for administering the drug.
Call Kaya Life or request an appointment online today to learn how the process works and if it can help you.
