Some people find the marijuana-derived treatment more effective than opioids.
Fibromyalgia is a painful condition that targets about 4 million adult sufferers in the US. Like many diseases, a lot remains unknown about the condition. It’s something unseen that causes inexplicable pain, anxiety, and depression in those who live with it, making it difficult to diagnose and cure.
Some people have gone so far as to say fibromyalgia doesn’t really exist and that it’s all in a patient’s’ head. Experts have shown it is a real thing, however.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, magnetic resonance imaging has shown that in people with fibromyalgia, there are abnormalities in the parts of their brain that process pain signals. It all comes down to a malfunctioning nervous system. For some reason, in some people the brain boosts the strength and intensity of normal pain signals. This results in people feeling pain when sometimes there is no physical reason for it.
Traditional treatment
What helps? Oftentimes, fibromyalgia is treated with antidepressants, pain relievers, and anti-seizure drugs. Many people live with the condition for many years. The good news is that medication and lifestyle changes can lessen your symptoms.
Counseling, physical therapy, and occupational therapy can help patients feel some relief. Counseling, in particular, can help you find new strategies for dealing with stressful situations that may be contributing to your physical and emotional pain.
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Exercises that improve your strength, flexibility, and stamina can also help. Some patients also use muscle relaxants to help them get a better night’s sleep.
When it comes to alternative therapies, there are many other routes to try. The trouble is, very few have been proven scientifically to make any difference. One, however, is coming to the forefront as a potentially promising route.
Cannabidiol (CBD) as a treatment for fibromyalgia
Love it or hate, it’s a fact that the marijuana plant has had many uses as a medicinal healer throughout the centuries. From treating seizures to lessening anxiety and nausea, marijuana has been found to have many benefits.
In line with this, researchers from the University of Michigan looked into how CBD, which comes from the marijuana plant, can and is being used as a treatment for fibromyalgia. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most active ingredient in cannabis although it’s derived from the hemp plant and not the marijuana plant.
CBD is an essential component in medical marijuana. It’s attractive as a solution because it doesn’t cause patients to get “high”.
Kevin Boehnke, Ph.D., a research investigator at the University of Michigan, led a team that analyzed 878 people living with fibromyalgia who said they used CBD to target their pain. It was found that 70% of people with the condition who use CBD are doing so in place of opioids or other pain medications.
Many patients in the study said using CBD as a treatment allowed them to stop these other painkillers.
“CBD is less harmful than THC, as it is non-intoxicating and has less potential for abuse,” said Boehnke.
Further study
The thing is, a lot of people use CBD medicinally without their physician’s guidance, Boehnke says. More controlled research around the scientific benefits of CBD to people with chronic pain could be useful. It could lead to even more effective and safe applications in the future, he feels.
CBD is an attractive solution to pain, Boehnke’s expresses, as it comes without the side effects of opioids including addiction, abuse, and overdose.
“If people can find the same relief without THC’s side effects, CBD may represent a useful harm reduction strategy,” he stated.
For more on this study, click here. Talk to your doctor for information on how best to treat your fibromyalgia, if you suffer from it. There are multiple avenues for targeting your symptoms and it’s possible to have them decrease over time.
photo credits: HQuality/Shutterstock.com
