Peripheral neuropathy is damage or disease affecting nerves that may impair sensation, movement, organ function, or other health aspects depending on the affected nerve. Common causes include diseases like diabetes or leprosy, vitamin deficiencies, medications, injuries, alcohol consumption, immune system diseases, infections, or inheritance. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, reduced sense of position, pins and needles, itching. Treatments include amitriptyline, antiepileptics like gabapentin, cannabinoids, pregabalin, and electric nerve stimulation. Medical cannabis has uses for conditions like diabetes, cancer, dementia and epilepsy but more research is needed on adverse effects and potential conflicts of interest in research funding.

1. N I T I N B H A N T I C O , L O
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Perhipheral Neuropathy and
Treatments Used

2. Peripheral Neuropathy
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 Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is damage or disease
affecting nerves, which may impair sensation,
movement, gland or organ function, or other aspects
of health, depending on the type of nerve affected.
Common causes include systemic diseases (such as
diabetes or leprosy), vitamin deficiency, medication
(e.g., chemotherapy), traumatic injury, excessive
alcohol consumption, immune system disease, or
infection, or it may be inherited (present from birth).

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4. Symptoms
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 Numbness
 Tingling
 Fasciculations
 Muscle weakness
 Reduced position sense (proprioception)
 Allodynia
 Pins/needles
 itching

5. Treatments
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 Amitryptiline
 Antiepileptics (gabapentin, sodium valproate)
 Cannabnoids (inhaled, oral spray (Sativex)
 Pregabalin
 Electric Nerve Stimulation

6. Medical Cannabis Uses
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 Diabetes
 Cancer
 Dementia
 Epilepsy

7. No research on adverse effects
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 Dizziness…
 Pulmonary
 No liver, kidney dysfunction like most drugs
 Use to treat nausea/vomitting

8. Controversy
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 Pharma lobbies 20 million per year to keep medical
illegal. (23 states including district of columbia for
use of medical)
 Who is funding the research? Conflicts of interest?
 Profit margins in legalizing a drug vs. synthesizing
own version of it.

9. References
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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_neuropath
y
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis#Ad
verse_effects
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2W6-VTiOt0