Medical marijuana is emerging as one of the newest alternatives for treating certain kinds of medical conditions. Now that medical marijuana is legal in 33 states, more and more patients have access to a plant that is still considered a controlled substance by the federal government. For right or wrong, medical marijuana is here to stay.

Below is a list of five conditions for which medical marijuana might be appropriate. If you suffer from any of them and believe medical marijuana might be right for you, you will need to see a doctor first. You can call your GP directly or use a service like Veriheal to locate a certified cannabis physician and yet your medical marijuana card online.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia. It strikes mainly senior citizens who may attribute the earliest symptoms to growing old. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s is a disease that manifests itself in some very unpleasant symptoms. Some of those symptoms are treatable with medical marijuana.

Symptoms of this dreadful disease include confusion, memory loss, visual impairment, and even a loss of the ability to speak, read, or write. The most distressing part of this disease is that it is degenerative. There is no cure, and it simply gets worse over time until the patient eventually succumbs.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the condition that actually brought medical marijuana to the forefront a few years ago. It is a condition that causes damage to the optic nerve. Like Alzheimer’s, it gets worse over time. Untreated glaucoma can result in permanent and total blindness within just a few years of onset.

Medical marijuana is a particularly good treatment for glaucoma because it reduces damaging pressure in the eyes. Keeping this pressure down can also slow down the progression of the disease.

Fibromyalgia

Once believed to be an imaginary disease relegated to hypochondriacs, fibromyalgia has now been verified as a legitimate condition causing chronic pain, fatigue, and issues with both mood and memory. Although not yet proven, research suggests that it may be caused by an overactive nervous system.

Many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be temporarily relieved with medical marijuana. These include headaches, widespread pain, insomnia, and depression.

Migraine

Most of us think of migraine as headaches. And although one of the symptoms of migraine is headache, the condition itself is a neurological one. The unfortunate thing about migraine is that medical science still doesn’t know just what causes the condition or the headaches it produces.

Medical marijuana can help migraine patients by alleviating the pain associated with a migraine attack. It is believed that regular use might also help reduce the frequency of attacks, though it’s not clear why.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a group of neurological condition for which medical marijuana can be helpful. Its most important use is in managing epileptic seizures. Though there is little hard-core scientific evidence to prove it prevents seizures, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence provided by patients themselves.

If you know someone with epilepsy, you know how scary seizures can be. They are physically uncomfortable, emotionally disturbing, and can result in serious injuries to the patient if a seizure causes a fall or violent thrashing. If medical marijuana can help, that is a good thing.

There are many other conditions for which medical marijuana might be appropriate. If you would like to get a medical marijuana card, it is advised that you see your GP right away. Only a doctor can approve your use of medical marijuana in the 33 states where it is legal.