Does CBD Work For Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia & CBD Research Overview

While many of its benefits have been known for years now, CBD has really gained a lot of popularity thanks to the growing community of users and researchers working to unlock its secrets. One of the most incredible ways CBD has been able to help is by mitigating symptoms for people with a wide variety of chronic pain disorders, especially fibromyalgia. A comprehensive review of all the available research called, Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD): can this concept explain therapeutic benefits of cannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other treatment-resistant conditions? concluded CBD helps block spinal, peripheral, and gastrointestinal pain. While more research is needed to understand this effect better, the researchers believe this benefit is likely related to a decrease in inflammation as well as regulating dopamine production. Another theory to why CBD has increased in popularity so rapidly is the wide range of conditions it seemingly improves. A report called Association of herbal cannabis use with negative psychosocial parameters in patients with fibromyalgia found over half of those with widespread pain from fibromyalgia also suffer from another condition related to chronic pain.

For those dealing with severe fibromyalgia, discomfort and pain is often a daily battle. One of the main reasons CBD is being turned to for fibromyalgia is the known connection between the endocannabinoid system and pain regulation in the body. A review of the experimental and clinical data, called Cannabinoids for fibromyalgia makes a robust case CBD has central and peripheral effects on inflammatory pain in fibromyalgia patients. This massive benefit could be explained thanks to a report called Control of pain initiation by endogenous cannabinoids. Researchers concluded the combination of two substances, anandamide and PEA act synergistically, which allows CBD to be 100-fold more effective for pain relief than if either substance was alone. But what does this mean for those dealing with fibromyalgia? Well, a report called Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of fibromyalgia makes a very strong case. They concluded CBD is so effective at treating fibromyalgia symptoms, not only did all the participants report noticeable improvements in pain, but half were able to stop taking another medication altogether thanks to CBD.

However, it’s not just chronic pain relief that fibromyalgia patients deal with. Luckily, CBD has been shown to be effective at treating many of these other symptoms. In fact, a study called Cannabis use in patients with fibromyalgia: effect on symptoms relief and health-related quality of life confirmed several of these beliefs, all at once. They found not only does CBD improve pain and stiffness while relaxing users, but it also was shown to decrease anxiety and improve Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores. Looking deeper, CBD has been shown to significantly reduce cognitive impairment, another common symptom of fibromyalgia sometimes known as “fibrofog.” This evidence was published in a report called Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment. The team also concluded CBD dramatically improved episodic memory when compared with the placebo group. Many of these symptoms can be quite hard to deal with, and it’s not uncommon for fibromyalgia patients to suffer from some depression or anxiety. A comprehensive review of over 1500 reports, called Plant-based medicines for anxiety disorders, part 2: a review of clinical studies with supporting preclinical evidence concluded CBD is likely the most effective plant-based medicine we have for treating anxiety.