How Cannabis Can Treat Felty’s Syndrome

How Cannabis Can Treat Felty’s Syndrome

treat felty's syndrome marijuana

I bet not many people have heard about Felty’s syndrome. Felty’s syndrome is not a common illness. It is considered to be very rare. The syndrome is due to a complication of long-standing rheumatoid arthritis. There are 3 conditions present with Felty’s syndrome. They are rheumatoid arthritis, an enlarged spleen, and an abnormally low white blood count. Only 1 % of patients with rheumatoid arthritis would develop Felty’s syndrome. Because it is so rare, not much is known about it, but it is considered to be serious. What makes it more complicated is that some people do not show any noticeable symptoms beyond rheumatoid arthritis.

What is the Cause of Felty’s Syndrome?

As with many rare conditions, the cause of Felty’s syndrome is unknown. Not all patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis develop the disease. But in those who have the disease, it was found that it almost always takes about 3 years, after suffering from the degenerative effects of rheumatoid arthritis, to develop. White blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. In patients with Felty’s disease, there is an active bone marrow function producing white cells, even though there are low numbers of circulating white blood cells. White blood cells are then excessively stored in the spleen of those suffering from the disease. It is even more obvious in those that have antibodies against the particular white blood cells affected. These white blood cells involved are granulocytes or neutrophils.

Doctors and researchers think this is a genetic condition. It seems that affected patients only need one abnormal gene to develop the syndrome. This is why the disease is likely to fall under autoimmune disorders.

Who is at Risk? What are the Symptoms?

Those at risk have normally been suffering from long-term RA. Some other factors that might play a role are:

Positive test result for the HLA-DR4 gene

Inflammation in the tissues lining the joints

A positive testing for the rheumatoid factor, an antibody used to test for RA

RA symptoms outside of the joints

Being Caucasian

Older than 50 years

Many people go undiagnosed because many of the symptoms are associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Joint inflammation and pain are all symptoms of RA, but Felty’s syndrome has it too. Other symptoms that indicate Felty’s syndrome are:

Fever

Loss of appetite

Weight loss

Fatigue

Pale and discolored skin

Sores on the leg

Burning sensation or discharge in the eyes

Joint swelling and stiffness

Recurrent infections

Certain Complications Detected

Felty’s Syndrome is considered to be dangerous because of its potential complications. Patients with Felty’s Syndrome already have depressed immune systems. This makes them more prone to contract serious infections and septic shock. Common types of infections are pulmonary and skin infections. These infections can sometimes be life-threatening. Most commonly, bronchopneumonia is the cause of death.

Conventional Treatment

By the time patients are diagnosed with Felty’s Syndrome they are already receiving treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis. But they may need other medications to suppress their immune system. Sometimes the spleen is removed to control the disease. The best way to treat Felty’s syndrome, is to control the underlying RA. Immunosuppressive therapy for RA improves granulocytopenia and splenomegaly. These findings underline the fact that Felty’s syndrome an immune-mediated disease is.

How Can Cannabis Help?

There is no known cure at the moment for Felty’s Syndrome and treatment is mostly focused on relieving the symptoms associated with the disease and to slow the deteriorating effects of rheumatoid arthritis. The good thing is that medical cannabis can soothe the symptoms of FS as well as RA. Marijuana has many therapeutic benefits to treat symptoms like inflammation and pain.

Inflammation is caused by a malfunction in the immune system. Cannabis offers a significant analgesic effect and disease activity is greatly suppressed. Cannabis has immune suppressant properties, as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It also stimulates appetite and fights against fatigue. Some of the symptoms treatable with medical cannabis are:

Pain – Felty’s syndrome is a complication of RA. RA is associated with debilitating pain in their joints. Chronic pain is one of the reasons people turn to marijuana, as it can relieve pain effectively

Inflammation – pain experienced with FS often has to do with inflammation in the joints. Inflammation allows the joints to swell, feel stiff, and hot due to the inflammation. Cannabis has the ability to treat the source of pain, namely inflammation.

Loss of appetite and weight loss – many chronic diseases affect a person’s appetite and ultimately weight. Cannabis is a known appetite stimulant. THC is the component responsible for appetite stimulation, and studies showed that even synthetic cannabis could reverse weight loss.

Fatigue – many suffering from chronic illness complain about fatigue. Cannabis can combat fatigue. Sativa strains have an energetic effect on patients and help to fight lethargic behavior.

Afterthoughts

Not many could have heard from Felty’s Syndrome, but that doesn´t mean it doesn´t exist. Seeing that it is also seen as an autoimmune disorder, the therapeutic properties of cannabis is an excellent contributor in treating the symptoms.