Can medical cannabis or CBD treat fibromyalgia?

Cannabis and CBD for fibromyalgia

In many ways, the disorder fibromyalgia and the plant, cannabis sativa are similar. Like fibromyalgia, cannabis has been around for centuries. In the same way that the medical benefits of cannabis are being researched and our understanding is evolving, we still have much to learn about fibromyalgia and treatments.

While many people are sceptical of medicinal cannabis, there are still those who question the legitimacy of fibromyalgia as a disorder. It would seem that fibromyalgia and cannabis are a disorder and medicine cut from the same cloth.

In this article, you’ll learn about fibromyalgia, treatments for fibromyalgia and how medical cannabis is (and isn’t) helping patients with this condition.

A brief and important history of fibromyalgia

nderstanding of the disease has transformed over time and is still evolving.

As evident through its history, fibromyalgia and treatments for this disorder have been evolving since first discovered. While science and medicine continue to improve drastically, in many ways, fibromyalgia still remains a mystery.

Medically, “fibro” means connective tissue and “itis” means inflammation. fibromyalgia: “fibro” meaning connective tissues, “my” meaning muscle, and “algia” meaning pain

Fibromyalgia and the endocannabinoid system

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a cell signalling system (think of it like a traffic controller) in your body regulating numerous bodily functions helping you remain balanced. Today, research has linked the ECS to a variety of bodily functions and emotions.

The ECS is made up of endocannabinoids – molecules that send messages; and cannabinoid receptors – the receiver of the messages. One of these types of receptors, the CB1 receptors, are found in your central nervous system. The central nervous system is responsible for regulating pain.

Fibromyalgia and Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CED)

CED is a theory that proposes that lower endocannabinoid levels in one’s body can lead to conditions like IBS, fibromyalgia and other treatment-resistant disorders.

In 1998 research showed that endocannabinoids could reduce hyperalgesia (an increased sensitivity to pain). This finding has led researchers to believe that cannabis, or specific cannabinoids in cannabis, can help treat certain symptoms of fibromyalgia. What has been proven time and again, is that cannabinoid therapy can help the endocannabinoid system operate more smoothly.  CBD helps to stimulate the release of endocannabinoids and the binding of other molecules within your system.

Hopefully, you now see the link between cannabis and fibromyalgia from a scientific and treatment perspective. It’s important to remember that research on cannabis and CED is relatively new and far more research, particularly longitudinal studies, need to be completed.

What are the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder which doctors believe inhibits the way that your brain and spinal cord process pain signals from nerves. Because of this, it’s believed that an individual’s pain receptors develop a “memory” of the pain and become more sensitive to that pain in the future.

Fibromyalgia (fibro) is more common in women than men and those who have fibro often have other diagnoses such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), anxiety and depression.

The pain that results from fibromyalgia can be different for each individual. Individuals with fibromyalgia often experience pain that is widespread throughout the body and can dissipate or persist for long periods of time.

Common symptoms of fibromyalgia are:

• Widespread pain
• Extreme fatigue (exhaustion)
• Poor sleep
• Problems with concentration and memory (aka fibro fog)
• Irritable bowel syndrome – IBS
• Anxiety and depression

How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?

Fibromyalgia is quite a difficult condition to diagnose because of the complexities of how it presents in individuals. Doctors use a process of elimination approach and multiple surveys to tests to come to a diagnosis of fibro.

You may go through ultrasounds, MRIs, x-rays and blood tests to check for underlying factors and to rule out other medical conditions. Quite often doctors will aim to rule out rheumatic diseases, mental health problems and neurological disorders.

If other things can be ruled out, doctors may use pain and anxiety surveys and a fibromyalgia impact questionnaire to assess your condition.