Five ways CBD can ease symptoms of fibromyalgia

Cannabis Health looks at five of the key ways cannabinoids can be used to tackle the common symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition causing widespread musculoskeletal pain – and it has no cure.

There are estimated to be around two million people with the condition in the UK alone, the majority of them female.

Patients often respond poorly to traditional pain relievers, experiencing low mood and extreme tiredness along with pain.

However, help may be a hand in the form of CBD, which can ease symptoms where standard remedies have failed.

Pain and inflammation
Recent research has pointed to fibromyalgia being partly caused by a deficiency of endocannabinoids – naturally-produced neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors.

One reason CBD oil can be so effective for fibromyalgia is by increasing the endocannabinoids that the body isn’t producing itself.

CBD is also well known for its anti-inflammatory properties – another weapon in its war against chronic pain.

Sleep issues
Unsurprisingly, fibromyalgia can lead to insomnia, as sufferers are in too much pain to sleep. The ensuing tiredness, in turn, exacerbates the condition, leading to a vicious circle of pain and tiredness.

Research has found that there are CBD receptors in the part of the brain responsible for maintaining sleep cycles; an animal study has shown that activating those receptors with CBD can help induce sleep.

Added to the pain-relieving properties mentioned earlier, and it’s clear to see why CBD can help fibromyalgia sufferers drift off.

Fatigue
The effect of long-term sleep disturbances is, of course, fatigue; happily, CBD can also help with this.

It may seem counter-intuitive that a product to help you sleep can also make you feel more alert, but it’s all about the quantities. At low concentrations, CBD can promote wakefulness and energy, strengthening the cells that cause sluggishness to improve focus and mental clarity.

Low mood
Depression can be yet another symptom of fibromyalgia, with sufferers up to three times as likely as the general population to suffer with low mood and anxiety.

Here, too, CBD can offer some relief; in fact, mental health is one of the most common reasons cited for its use. Research has found that CBD almost certainly has both anti-depressant and anti-anxiety properties, believed to be related to its positive effect on serotonin receptors in the brain.

Brain fog
Along with the tiredness and depression can come what is known as ‘fibro fog’; a cognitive condition affecting memory and concentration.

While cannabis – which contains high levels of the psychoactive THC – has been associated with impaired cognitive function, studies have found that the use of CBD oil can actually help improve cognition.

Fibromyalgia is the second most common rheumatological condition in the world, with estimates that between three and six per cent of the world’s population suffer from it – yet there is still no cure other than high-strength painkillers.

Understandably, many sufferers are looking to avoid a cocktail of prescription medications to deal with each individual symptom that accompanies the debilitating condition.

CBD is an option worth considering, ticking a number of boxes – from a pain reliever to improving sleep – all in one natural product. Is this the future for fibromyalgia?