How CBD Helps With Fibromyalgia & Musculoskeletal Pain

What is CBD?

CBD is a non-psychoactive constituent derived from the cannabis plant. It has been claimed that CBD can help with various medical conditions ranging from; Social Anxiety Disorder, Parkinson’s Disease, Pain from Glaucoma, Multiple Sclerosis, Insomnia, Epilepsy, to Chronic pain and inflammation and Bipolar Disorder. However, the research is in its early days, so currently, any claims need to be taken with a grain of salt.

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by a wide range of musculoskeletal pain that often causes fatigue, mood and memory issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia heightens painful sensations by altering the manner in which the brain processes pain signals.

Sometimes the symptoms begin after surgery, a physical trauma, infection or significant psychological stress. In some cases, symptoms slowly accumulate with time, without a single triggering event.

Women are more prone to develop fibromyalgia than men. Many people suffering from fibromyalgia suffer anxiety, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, tension headaches, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, a wide range of medications can help in controlling the symptoms, while relaxation, stress-reduction measures, and exercise are also found to help.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia may include:

Widespread pain: The kind of pain associated with fibromyalgia is often described as a constant dull ache that persisted for at least three months. To be described as widespread, pain must take place on both sides of the body below and above the waist.

Fatigue: People having fibromyalgia often wake up tired, even though they have slept for a long time. This is because the sleep fibromyalgia sufferers get is often disrupted by pain, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome.

Cognitive difficulties: known as “fibro fog” which describes the lack of ability to focus, pay attention and focus on mental tasks.

CBD for Fibromyalgia

There is a pain epidemic in the U.S, and fibromyalgia is a primary contributor to that. Treatment of fibromyalgia currently is largely seen as being inadequate, but the good news for sufferers is that there is a substantial financial incentive to establish treatments that relieve pain and other symptoms.

A paper published in the year 2017 in Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets suggested that CBD may be a possible way to reduce the activity of brain cells called glia, which results in central sensitization. That is a primary characteristic of fibromyalgia and other central sensitivity syndromes such as irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fibromyalgia also entails something called endocannabinoid deficiency. Taking CBD is, therefore, a way to supplement the system and awaken it for its direct benefits on pain relief and inflammation.

A review published in 2016 in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research discovered evidence that CBD is efficient in migraine and irritable bowel syndrome, which are associated with fibromyalgia.

A lot of people have suggested that CBD can combat inflammation. Fibromyalgia is not classified currently as an inflammatory condition; instead, studies indicate that at least some cases may entail inflammation of a body-wide web of connective tissue known as fascia. If that is correct and true, it could be another reason CBD should be considered.

So, as with many of the embryonic studies into CBD, it seems that it is establishing itself as being effective in treating the symptoms of the condition, as opposed to the condition itself. However for sufferers of fibromyalgia, and other conditions, where pain, inflammation and a lack of focus are rife, that this is in itself good news.

If you suffer from fibromyalgia and use CBD to treat the symptoms of the condition, we would love to hear from you so we can share your news with the CBD community.