We all have been hearing a lot about CBD these days. CBD came into the spotlight due to the health benefits it can provide. According to studies, CBD is very beneficial in treating many health disorders, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, insomnia, migraine, arthritis, skin problems, seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.
CBD is the active cannabinoid compound present in the cannabis plant. This non-psychoactive cannabinoid can activate the serotonin receptors present in the brain and plays a major role in pain perception and reducing inflammation.
Due to the ability of CBD to reduce pain effectively, many experts believe that CBD can be very effective in the treatment of fibromyalgia.
What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder that causes severe pain in your bone and muscles. People suffering from fibromyalgia also experience sleep and cognitive disturbances and fatigue. Fibromyalgia is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms of this chronic condition mimic those of other health disorders.
Musculoskeletal pain is the main symptom of fibromyalgia. Healthcare providers diagnose fibromyalgia if you are experiencing musculoskeletal pain in at least 4 out of the 5 regions of pain based on the fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria. Some of the other symptoms of fibromyalgia are headaches, fatigue, trouble sleeping, depression, anxiety, dry eyes, etc.
CBD For Fibromyalgia
Several studies conducted over the years have proved the ability of CBD to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation in your body. since CBD can possess anti-inflammatory properties, it is being widely used for the treatment of several inflammatory disorders, including arthritis. Since pain is one of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia, CBD will be an effective treatment option.
However, you should note that CBD is not approved as a treatment option for fibromyalgia by the Food and Drug Administration. The only CBD-based medication that is approved and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration is the prescription drug for epilepsy, known as Epidiolex.
The main reason why most health experts are not recommending CBD for people with fibromyalgia is that there is no published study on the effects of CBD on treating fibromyalgia. However, there are some studies that looked at how cannabis can affect fibromyalgia. The cannabinoid compounds present in the cannabis plant may have a positive impact on this chronic pain disorder.
Some of the earlier studies on CBD has proven that it is very effective in alleviating neuropathic pain. In 2011, a study looked at 56 individuals who are suffering from fibromyalgia. Half of the participants were not cannabis users and the other half were cannabis users but the frequency of use and the amount of cannabis they used varied among each person.
The researchers observed that cannabis users experience reduced pain and stiffness just two hours after using cannabis. They also had a significant improvement in sleep quality after two hours of cannabis use.
Last year, a Dutch study looked at the effects of CBD on treating fibromyalgia. The study was conducted on 20 women who were suffering from this chronic pain disorder. Each of the participants received four different types of cannabis. One type does not contain any CBD or THC. The second type contains both CBD and THC in high amounts. The third type had a high amount of THC and a low amount of CBD. The fourth type had a high amount of CBD and a low amount of THC.
At the end of the study, the pain scores of the people who received the type of cannabis with no CBD or THC were the same as that of the people who received a different amount of CBD and THC. However, a significantly lower pain score was reported among people who received the type of cannabis with a high amount of THC and CBD.
How To Use CBD For Managing Fibromyalgia?
It is important to note that there is no cure for this chronic disorder and most of the existing treatments aim at easing the symptoms of this condition. Most people want to avoid THC in their products, so they usually buy CBD isolate or broad-spectrum CBD products. If you are ok with THC in your product, you can buy CBD products made from full-spectrum CBD. The THC content in those products will be less than 0.3% and this amount does not cause any psychoactive effects.
People use CBD in several ways to alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia. If you want to get immediate relief from the pain, it is better to use CBD vapes because they can provide quick pain relief. You will experience the effects of CBD within minutes when you vape CBD oil and also the effects may last for 3-4 hours. The bioavailability of CBD will be higher when you use vape or smoke CBD oil.
Most people also prefer edible CBD products like CBD gummies, CBD-infused foods, and drinks. The main advantage of edible CBD products is that they ensure the long-lasting effects of CBD. if you want localized pain relief, you can opt for topical CBD products like CBD creams, CBD lotions, CBD balms, etc.