With medical cannabis acceptance and less of a stigma associated with cannabis use, we’re seeing a correlation in applications and potential conditions that cannabis can treat. Medical cannabis for chronic pain has been of particular interest especially as the opioid crisis continues to cause havoc across the globe.
Researchers have long been looking into potential treatments involving medical cannabis for chronic pain. The research is largely positive about the potential for cannabis, with recent studies showing more and more promise.
Medical cannabis for fibromyalgia pain has naturally gained greater focus as the condition typically carries with it chronic pain.
What Is Fibromyalgia and What Causes Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a complex neurological disorder, with the result being chronic pain. This pain can be felt with, but not limited to:
- Muscles and connective tissue pain
- Joint stiffness
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Digestive issues
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Cognitive impairments
There’s no concrete cause of fibromyalgia…yet. For now, many different researchers and doctors have posited a number of theories as to what causes this condition.
One theory links fibromyalgia to endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome.
What Is Endocannabinoid Deficiency Syndrome?
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an interconnected network in your body that allows communication between your brain, organs, connective tissue, glands, and immune system.
When working as it should be, the ECS achieves homeostasis—a stable internal environment for your body.
If this system runs into obstacles or finds itself disrupted in some way, the problems, as you’d imagine, can be widespread. Mood, sleep, gastrointestinal health, muscle spasticity, all of these can be impacted by the ECS, which align quite closely with fibromyalgia, which has led some to believe the two are connected.
Does Medical Cannabis Help in Fibromyalgia?
A variety of studies have shown that many of the common symptoms of fibromyalgia—headaches, pain, insomnia—have seen degrees of improvement when treated with medical marijuana.
Further research examined medical marijuana for fibromyalgia specifically and returned some promising results. One study indicated medical cannabis had some effectiveness in reducing symptoms.
Having said that, there is no consensus among the medical community as to marijuana efficacy when it comes to treating all of your fibromyalgia symptoms.
As mentioned, a variety of studies have shown cannabis to be effective at helping patients manage their pain.
While, again, there is some debate in the medical community as to whether medical marijuana for fibromyalgia is 100% effective, past research does suggest that medical cannabis could help mitigate some of the pain symptoms derived from fibromyalgia.
Medical Cannabis for Treating Other Fibromyalgia Symptoms: Sleep Problems and Others
Some studies have also shown medical cannabis to be effective at treating the other symptoms of fibromyalgia aside from pain.
One piece of research from Italy found that almost half of 100 patients found marijuana to be helpful, reducing their needs for painkillers as well as helping with sleep and anxiety.
Risks and Side Effects of Using Medical Cannabis in Fibromyalgia Treatment
Since marijuana is grown rather than engineered in a lab, that can lead to imprecise levels of certain compounds which in turn can have an impact on how the treatment will affect the patient.
What’s more, there’s no definitive evidence at this time to show that medical marijuana for fibromyalgia is proven to be an effective treatment.
Having said that, a number of studies have endorsed the treatment as a potential point of relief for patients, but other studies have pushed back on medical cannabis for fibromyalgia pain.
Is Cannabis Better Than Prescription Drugs for Treating Fibromyalgia Symptoms?
As previously mentioned, there’s a growing body of research that points to medical cannabis for chronic pain being a potentially potent treatment.
The National Pain Foundation conducted a survey in 2014 of over 1,300 patients, of which, 390 survey respondents had used medical cannabis. Many found the drug to be remarkably effective. Almost two-thirds claimed the drug was “very effective” in treating their symptoms.
This was much higher compared to other prescription drug medications.
It’s also worth mentioning that the risk for developing a physical dependency on medical cannabis is far lower compared to opioids and some other traditional medications.
Cannabis Strains for Fibromyalgia Treatment
Depending on the strain of medical cannabis, patients will have different experiences with the treatment.
Each body is different and reacts differently to these unique strains of cannabis, so it’s worth bearing in mind that there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment. That said, here is a list of the most effective strains at treating fibromyalgia:
- Harlequin
- Cannatonic
- Tahoe OG
- Grandaddy Purple
- GSC
- Blueberry
- Bubba Kush
- Headband
Medical Marijuana Consulting Services for Fibromyalgia in Canada
Suffering from fibromyalgia and finding that prescription medications aren’t fully treating your symptoms? Then it may be time to think about medical cannabis.
The medical cannabis consulting experts at Medical Marijuana Consulting (MMC) can provide you with information about medical marijuana and explain different options that are available to you.
MMC provides patients from across Canada with access to medical professionals who are experts on medical cannabis. Our team of physicians, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners can provide a prescription, offer you help to get you coverage for your prescription costs (if eligible), and refer you to a licensed producer.
Benefit from MMC’s personalized white glove treatment, which includes individualized one-on-one educational sessions, treatment plans, and ongoing support. Our medical marijuana clinic also helps with insurance benefits and tax claims.
Interested in growing your own cannabis? Our medical marijuana consulting team can help you apply for a Grow Your Own License with Health Canada.
It’s our mission to ensure that everyone who can benefit and wants medical marijuana treatment is able to access the drug. That’s why we’ve implemented our Ambassador Program, where you receive $15 for every person you refer to MMC that becomes a patient.
To learn more about Medical Marijuana Consulting and how you can begin benefiting from a unique medical cannabis treatment plan, book a consultation online, contact us at 844-312-5143, or email us at patientcare@medmc.ca.
