Can Medical Marijuana Help Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder that can cause fatigue and muscle pain. Sometimes, a person diagnosed with fibromyalgia may also have two or more other chronic pain conditions at the same time. They might experience irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, or even interstitial cystitis.
However, marijuana for fibromyalgia can offer some benefits.
Even though cannabis for fibromyalgia may still be considered a relatively new treatment, there are research studies indicating that it is a positive fibromyalgia treatment option.
Fibromyalgia Symptoms
The most common fibromyalgia symptoms include:
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- Pain. This isn’t just any generalized pain, but widespread pain. It is most commonly characterized as a dull ache that lasts for three months or longer. It also needs to be considered ‘widespread,’ which means it will affect both sides of the body, above and below the waist.
- Fatigue. People who are dealing with fibromyalgia will often wake up feeling tired, no matter how long they actually sleep. That’s because sleep is usually disrupted by the pain. Restless leg syndrome (RLS) and sleep apnea are also common among people dealing with fibromyalgia.
- Cognitive challenges. A person with fibromyalgia may have difficulty focusing and concentrating on mental tasks. This is sometimes referred to as “fibro fog.”
Fibromyalgia Pain Points
A person with fibromyalgia will have a lower threshold of pain. These individuals will also experience tender points, or what doctors refer to as fibromyalgia pain points. There are several fibromyalgia pain points that can be more sensitive to touch, including:
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- The edge of the upper breast
- The arm, near the elbow
- Knees
- Hip bone
- Base of the skull at the back of the head
- Back of the neck
- Back of the shoulders
- Lower neck, in the front
- The upper, outer edge of the buttocks
While fibromyalgia causes are still not fully understood, doctors believe it may have to do with certain muscle spasms. When muscles spasm, which are involuntary contractions, there is a lack of oxygen and blood flowing to these muscles. When they build up acid and carbon dioxide, it causes more pain in these muscles, and it is a difficult cycle for the body to break out of.
CBD Oil for Fibromyalgia
The same holds true when talking about CBD oil for fibromyalgia. Just as with edibles, CBD oil or tinctures can be added to food, beverages, or even sublingually (under the tongue), which can provide fast acting relief when you are experiencing pain and discomfort due to this condition.
How to Get a Medical Card for Fibromyalgia
Can you get a medical card for fibromyalgia? Absolutely. We have experience in helping people just like you get connected with doctors who understand the inherent benefits that medical marijuana offers fibromyalgia patients.
Allow us to connect you with one of these highly trained, licensed, and experienced doctors who are right in your own community so you can begin enjoying relief from the constant, frustrating, annoying pain fibromyalgia causes.
Frequently
Asked Questions
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a long-lasting or chronic disorder. It is associated with widespread pain commonly directed around the muscles and skeletal structures of the body, and it can lead to extreme fatigue, memory related challenges, mood disorders, and sleep difficulties.
What research has found so far is that fibromyalgia may amplify pain sensations. It may do this by affecting how the brain and spinal cord processes these pain signals.
Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than men. A person who is dealing with fibromyalgia may also have other pain experiences, like tension headaches, TMJ, anxiety, and depression. At the moment, there is no cure for this disorder, but there are medications and other treatment options available, including medical marijuana for fibromyalgia.
How Does Marijuana Help Fibromyalgia?
When dealing with fibromyalgia pain, a person may want to know, “Does medical marijuana help with fibromyalgia?”
It can. The first thing to do, though, is speak with your doctor to determine if fibromyalgia is what you are facing at this stage in your life.
Now, how does marijuana help pain?
There are two key ingredients in marijuana that can help treating a variety of conditions, including fibromyalgia. THC and CBD. While THC is the hallucinogenic component of marijuana that directly affects the brain, CBD, or cannabidiols, focus on inflammation, especially in joints and muscles.
You may find that edibles for fibromyalgia, which contain CBD, could be extremely beneficial, especially when you are experiencing prolonged pain.
Which Strain is Best for Fibromyalgia?
Of the two main strains associated with medical marijuana — Indica and Sativa — each one has certain benefits. Indica has more relaxing qualities associated with it. This would be better used during the evening time or when you are getting ready for bed. It can also be more beneficial in helping to reduce inflammation and swelling, which are common contributors to pain.
Sativa is more associated with how the neural networks receive and transmit pain signals. So, using a hybrid strain that contains both Indica and Sativa may very well be the best course when you are dealing with fibromyalgia and weed is a potential option available to you.
Can Edibles Help with Fibromyalgia?
As noted, CBD and fibromyalgia can be effective. Edibles containing CBD could provide some temporary relief from inflammation, swelling, and pain that is associated with fibromyalgia.
For many people, when dealing with fibromyalgia, THC or CBD seems to be the key question. In order to determine whether you should focus on medical marijuana that contains both THC and CBD or edibles, consult with an experienced, qualified doctor who has direct experience with this.
Does Fibromyalgia Qualify for Medical Marijuana?
In states where medical marijuana is legal, fibromyalgia, properly diagnosed, can allow you to qualify for a medical marijuana card. When looking for fibromyalgia medication, be sure to ask your doctor about whether medical marijuana is something to consider at this stage in your life and the condition you are dealing with.
If your doctor doesn’t have direct experience, it’s important to find somebody who has that experience with medical marijuana as a treatment for fibromyalgia.
