This amazing 2002 case study spurred a lot of the research into marijuana and dystonia that has been done in the past several years. It details the story of a 42-year-old woman who was suffering from severe pain, numbness, and dystonia after an unsuccessful surgery. The woman deteriorated to the point where she was unable to write and could only move around using a wheelchair. She tried numerous painkillers and antidepressants to manage her symptoms, but was not able to find very much relief at all.
It wasn't until she began self-medicating with marijuana that this woman was able to find dramatic relief from all of her symptoms. After smoking only one joint a day, she experienced pain relief and a lessening of her dystonia, and was once more able to walk and write. She did not require any more painkillers and, amazingly enough, showed no opioid withdrawal even though she had been on high doses of morphine.
I really hope that this woman is still doing good today, and I commend her for taking her health into her own hands. I know that marijuana doesn't work for everything, but I think it should always be the first option for pain and movement disorders. Then, and only then, should patients be moved onto morphine and antidepressants.
