Medical Marijuana for Bell’s Palsy Patients in Louisiana

• Bell’s palsy is a neurological condition that can cause facial paralysis and other medical challenges. It can significantly impact quality of life.
• Medical cannabis can help Bell’s palsy patients improve their overall wellness, social functioning, and so much more.
• Getting medical marijuana for Bell’s palsy in Louisiana is simple: Find a provider, get a recommendation, visit a cannabis pharmacy, and start healing.

Bell’s palsy is a misunderstood and challenging medical condition—and symptoms can appear quite suddenly. What can you do to support your recovery after Bell’s palsy onset? If you’ve been living with the condition long-term, do you have options for improving your overall quality of life?

Medical cannabis could offer the answers—and the relief—you’re looking for.

In this guide, we’re breaking down everything Louisiana residents need to know about using medical marijuana for Bell’s palsy. We’ll explore the condition, the benefits of medical marijuana for patients, and how to get access in Louisiana.

An Intro to Bell’s Palsy

Bell’s palsy is a neurological disorder—it’s related to a nerve in the cranium (cranial nerve VII) that connects the brain to some of the muscles that control facial expressions.

When cranial nerve VII doesn’t perform as expected, you can experience:

• Spur-of-the-moment weakness in the face (typically on just one side)
• Facial paralysis (again, usually on one side only)
• Drooling
• Difficulty closing one eye
• Facial distortions

These are the primary signs of Bell’s palsy. They typically develop over a 48- to 72-hour period somewhat suddenly. For many patients, these symptoms will begin to improve in a matter of weeks. For some, facial weakness may be longer-lasting (or even permanent to some degree).

While it can affect anyone of any age, Bell’s palsy is most common in patients between the ages of 15 and 45. While healthcare experts aren’t exactly sure what causes Bell’s palsy, they have identified a few risk factors:

• Pregnancy
• Preeclampsia (high blood pressure, urine protein, or organ damage during pregnancy)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Upper respiratory problems

Other more specific triggers may include:

• A viral infection (like the herpes simplex virus or chickenpox)
• Decreased immunity due to:
  • Stress
  • Poor sleep
  • Illness
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Trauma
• Lyme disease-related infections and inflammation
• Myelin sheath (the fatty, protective covers of nerve tissue) damage

Put simply, Bell’s palsy is a complex condition that’s still under intense study.

What Does Life with Bell’s Palsy Look Like?

Once the primary effects of Bell’s palsy (facial paralysis and weakness) set in, they can lead to additional symptoms, including:

• Facial pain, tingling sensations, or other abnormal feelings
• Excessive tear production
• Taste issues
• Decreased tolerance for loud noises and other stimuli
• Jaw and ear pain
• Difficulty eating or drinking

Since Bell’s palsy can be a short-term condition, patients may only experience these symptoms for weeks or months before making a full recovery. However, the condition does carry the risk of permanent facial changes and weakness (which isn’t always severe).

Whether it’s temporary or long-lasting, Bell’s palsy can lead to quality of life challenges:

• Difficulty eating and drinking – With weakened facial muscles, Bell’s palsy patients can struggle to eat and drink. This can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, and the health issues that follow. It can also disrupt the social elements of eating: sharing meals with family and friends, for instance.
• Sensitivity to sounds – People recovering from Bell’s palsy may have a hard time tolerating loud noises, crowds, and other stimuli. If you’re a frequent concert-goer, visit bars and restaurants with friends, or work in a loud environment (like an industrial facility), this effect could interrupt your hobbies, social life, or work.
• Vision issues – Dry eye (due to difficulty closing one eye) and resulting excessive tear function (as your eye tries to compensate for dryness) can lead to vision issues for people with Bell’s palsy. This may make driving, reading, or working difficult.

Even in short-lived cases, Bell’s palsy can be debilitating.

Medical Cannabis and Bell’s Palsy: Benefits for Patients

In the face of pain, lifestyle challenges, and other symptoms, where should Bell’s palsy patients turn? While your healthcare provider may recommend a few first-line treatments like corticosteroids and medicated eye drops, patients have an additional option for managing this condition: medical cannabis.

While medical marijuana isn’t a cure-all for Bell’s palsy, it can improve various elements of life for Bell’s palsy patients:

• Nutritional support – When you’re struggling to eat and drink, you may have a hard time getting the nutrients and calories you need to heal and maintain body mass. To stimulate your appetite, consider trying medical cannabis. Marijuana-induced appetite stimulation (“the munchies”) is a long-recognized effect of cannabis, and you can leverage it to increase your motivation to eat and drink.
• Pain relief – If you’re experiencing sensitivity or abnormal sensations in your face, consider using THC or CBD (the major cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant) as a pain reliever. Many patients with pain issues (from those undergoing cancer treatment to athletes) are already using cannabis for pain relief with great success.
• Mental health support – Bell’s palsy is a sudden, intense medical condition that can change your life (temporarily or permanently) in many ways. It’s completely understandable that anyone living with this condition would experience impacts to their mood, emotional regulation, and everyday functioning. Many patients already use cannabis to relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder—consider exploring how medical marijuana could help you manage mood changes during recovery.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. To learn more about how medical cannabis can improve your overall quality of life (no matter your health condition), check out our blog for more in-depth guides.

Do Patients with Bell’s Palsy in Louisiana Qualify for Medical Marijuana?

In Louisiana—TeleLeaf’s home state—medical cannabis laws stipulate that healthcare providers can recommend marijuana treatment for any debilitating condition. So, Bell’s palsy patients can be eligible for medical marijuana care in this state.

There are a few caveats to consider:

• Severity matters – Cases of Bell’s palsy can range from mild to severe. If your symptoms aren’t debilitating, you may have a harder time getting a recommendation for medical cannabis.
• Your provider matters – Let’s face it: Some healthcare providers just aren’t informed about the current (and prospective) health benefits of medical cannabis. In other words, some clinicians may be more willing to recommend cannabis treatment than others.

Luckily, patients in Louisiana have options—especially when it comes to provider choice. In our state, any licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or medical psychologist can provide a recommendation for medical marijuana.

No matter the severity or longevity of your case of Bell’s palsy, finding the right provider is key to unlocking the treatment you need to live a fulfilling life (whether cannabis is part of your healing journey or not).

Getting Medical Cannabis Access in Louisiana Step-by-Step

If you choose to pursue medical cannabis treatment in Louisiana, you’re in luck: The process is simple.

• Find a provider – The first step is to find a healthcare provider with cannabis knowledge—someone with their finger on the pulse of medical marijuana applications and research.
• Get a recommendation – Talk through your concerns with your provider, and consider the risks and benefits of adding cannabis to your regimen. If you and your provider agree that you’re a good fit for treatment, they’ll give you a recommendation for medical cannabis.
• Visit a pharmacy – Your provider will send your recommendation directly to a medical cannabis pharmacy near you. All you need to do is go to that pharmacy, show your ID, and pick out products you’d like to try.

Need a Medical Marijuana Recommendation? Turn to TeleLeaf

If you’re struggling with Bell’s palsy and not sure where to find a compassionate, cannabis-informed provider who can walk you through medical marijuana treatment options, turn to TeleLeaf. We’re a Louisiana-based telehealth network of providers passionate about getting patients the all-natural care they deserve.

TeleLeaf is committed to providing efficient, thorough, affordable, and supportive medical cannabis care throughout your treatment journey. We’re here for our patients from day 1 to day 1,001.

Bell’s palsy patients: A medical cannabis recommendation could change the trajectory of your healing journey. Start on the right foot, and make an appointment with TeleLeaf now.

Sources:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Bell’s Palsy.
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/bells-palsy

Mayo Clinic. Preeclampsia.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/preeclampsia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355745

GoodRx. Why Does Weed Make You Hungry?.
https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/cannabis/why-does-weed-make-you-hungry

Harvard Medical School. Can Cannabis Relieve Pain?.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/can-cannabis-help-relieve-pain

Forbes. New Study Finds Medical Marijuana Improves Depression Symptoms.
https://www.forbes.com/

University of Colorado Boulder. CBD Shown to Ease Anxiety Without the Risks that Can Come with THC.
https://www.colorado.edu/today/2024/02/27/cbd-shown-ease-anxiety-without-risks-can-come-thc

Scientific American. Many people with Bipolar Disorder Use Cannabis. It May Sometimes Help.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-with-bipolar-disorder-often-use-cannabis-it-may-sometimes-help/

Marijuana Policy Project. Overview of the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act.
https://www.mpp.org/states/louisiana/overview-of-louisianas-medical-cannabis-law/