Fibromyalgia symptoms can make even simple chores and activities exhausting and difficult. According to experts in pain management in Gainesville, FL, this chronic pain disorder has no known specific cause. However, it is believed that it affects the pathways of the central nervous system.
Data from the American Chronic Pain Association has revealed that between 6 to 12 million people in the United States suffer from fibromyalgia. This condition also comes with complications that can greatly affect a patient’s quality of life.
As there is no known cure, managing the symptoms of the condition may be through FDA-approved medications, therapies with specialists, and medical marijuana.
Medical Marijuana’s Effects on Fibromyalgia
According to our medical marijuana doctor in Gainesville, medical marijuana’s two active ingredients, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), may help reduce the intensity of pain in patients with fibromyalgia. These compounds deliver a chemical reaction to the body’s natural cannabinoid receptors to dampen the body’s pain response.
THC and CBD also have anti-inflammatory effects. These compounds have properties that block the inflammatory mediators, as well as activate the cells needed for tissue repair.
Medical marijuana may also improve the patient’s sleep quality, which is a crucial factor in how fibromyalgia patients manage and tolerate their pain. The compounds also activate the serotonin receptors in the brain that make people feel good. When patients feel good, they are able to shift their focus away from what’s ailing them.
What Medical Marijuana Studies Say
A study of 30 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia showed some significant improvements after eight to 11 months of medical marijuana treatment. Half of these patients even stopped taking their prescription pain medication because the cannabis treatment was more effective.
Another study with 367 fibromyalgia patients, who took medical marijuana for six months, showed a significant reduction in pain intensity (from 9 to 5). Although these patients also commonly complained of side effects like dizziness (7.9 percent), dry mouth (6.7 percent), and gastrointestinal symptoms (5.4 percent), these are quite manageable.
In a survey reported by the National Pain Foundation, 62 percent of patients said that medical marijuana has been effective in treating their pain symptoms, while 33 percent said cannabis somewhat improved their condition.
When comparing these results to pharmaceutical medications, about 60 to 68 percent of patients said that the FDA-approved drugs did not help reduce their symptoms. Suffice it to say, frustration in managing fibromyalgia symptoms is higher when taking prescription medication than medical marijuana. So it’s no wonder that patients consider cannabis as a treatment option, especially with the increasing scientific evidence of its effectiveness with little to no side effects.
Learn more about treating fibromyalgia from our medical marijuana doctor in Gainesville
If you are suffering from fibromyalgia pain, then you should consult the experts and doctors at Advanced Pain Medical Center for treatments that suit your needs.
Advanced Pain Medical Center offers various techniques for pain management. These include a rapidly advancing medical specialty that uses a multi-disciplinary strategy for treating all types of pain and improving a patient’s quality of life. At Advanced Pain Medical Center, we offer high-quality services such as innovative medical marijuana solutions, pain management, and regenerative medicine.
If you have any other questions, please Contact Us with your queries.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
