Medical cannabis is recommended for many conditions, including fibromyalgia. However, people who have this condition may not be aware of the possibility of using cannabis to treat their pain. There are few treatments for fibromyalgia, and many potential treatments have uncomfortable side effects. However, there’s good evidence that cannabis not only helps fibromyalgia but does so without the negative symptoms of other treatments like opiates. For many people living every day with this condition, using cannabis for fibromyalgia could be the solution they’ve been looking for.
How Fibromyalgia Affects the Body
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that’s still the subject of much research. It’s theorized that fibromyalgia results from a pain signal processing disorder in the nerves and brain. Confused nerve signals lead to many uncomfortable symptoms, including:
- Muscle pain and stiffness
- Joint pain and stiffness
- General tenderness
- Poor sleep quality
- Chronic fatigue
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Digestive complications
It’s a difficult condition to diagnose because there are no diagnostic tests that can reliably differentiate it from other health problems. Since it is often comorbid with other painful conditions like arthritis or mood disorders, fibromyalgia is likely underdiagnosed.
There are several common treatments for fibromyalgia with varying levels of utility. Doctors may prescribe everything from muscle relaxers to OTC pain medications to antidepressants to opioids to treat different symptoms of the condition. These treatments’ efficacy varies from person to person; what works for one person with fibromyalgia may not help someone else. There is not currently a single medication that treats all aspects of the condition.
Why Cannabis For Fibromyalgia Helps
Out of all the treatments for fibromyalgia, cannabis is one of the most promising. Studies suggest that cannabis offers many benefits for the condition without the adverse side effects of frequently taking OTC pain medications or opioids. Cannabis can help fibromyalgia patients:
- Pain relief: Cannabis appears to help reduce the pain caused by fibromyalgia. This effect may be due to how CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which is related to the parts of the brain that control pain and sleep.
- Insomnia: Many people find that cannabis makes them sleepy. For people dealing with insomnia of any kind, that makes cannabis a useful way to handle chronic fatigue and poor sleep.
- Muscle stiffness: Cannabinoids act as relaxants, reducing muscle tension. Part of the pain from fibromyalgia is due to tight muscles, so cannabis can help alleviate two problems at the same time.
- Anxiety: Finally, the anxiety many people with fibromyalgia experience can be minimized with the use of medical cannabis. CBD is known to help reduce anxiety in the majority of people.
This syndrome is still being studied, but one of the best treatments currently available is medical cannabis. While everyone will react to treatments differently, the majority of fibromyalgia patients report that cannabis helped relieve their symptoms. There’s no need to live in constant pain; if you live with this condition, you deserve relief. Medical cannabis for fibromyalgia is a safe, effective treatment that can help you take back control over your life.