Fibromyalgia is an awful condition. It has people visiting Los Angeles dispensaries in droves. It is a chronic disorder characterized by severe fatigue, as well as extreme muscular and skeletal pain. According to Statistics Canada, fibromyalgia afflicts 1.7 percent of society, with men four times less likely to succumb to it than women. Current treatments include drugs and therapy, and now, cannabis too.
Understanding Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia has long been a controversial medical condition. Only recently, over the last decade or two, have scientists come to acknowledge it. Even now, doctors across the globe frequently misdiagnose it. Despite this, the disorder is very real. Furthermore, its symptoms, such as concentration issues, pain, and fatigue, are debilitating, often having a huge effect on sufferers, most notably on their quality of life.
While the debate whirls about whether to classify fibromyalgia as a chronic pain disorder or not, data is starting to emerge suggesting it may be neurological in nature. Given the mysteriousness of fibromyalgia, doctors are still unsure about what causes it. Infections, genetics, and even emotional or physical trauma are possible triggers, exactly how they might cause the disease is still unknown.
According to Europe PubMed Central, one particular study found a significant association with fibromyalgia and endocannabinoid deficiencies. Interestingly, it is not the only one. The endocannabinoid system is a natural biological process stimulated by cannabinoids in cannabis plants. When endocannabinoids no longer function as they should, then cannabinoids lend powerful support.
How Cannabis Treats Fibromyalgia
While the queues at Santa Monica dispensaries grow in length, extensive studies are giving credibility to anecdotal evidence. Thousands of studies confirm the analgesic properties of cannabis and with millions of people using it for pain, actual research into its effects on fibromyalgia specifically remain scarce. Despite this, existing literature is extremely promising and patients are using it most successfully.
For example, in one such study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine, scientists analyzed the effects of marijuana on 56 patients with fibromyalgia, half of them were users and half not. Those consuming cannabis reported significant relief from pain and stiffness. They also felt more relaxed than non-consumers felt overall, and they scored notably higher on mental health tests too.
In concluding, the researchers wrote, “The use of cannabis was associated with beneficial effects on some fibromyalgia symptoms.” They also emphasized in the report that, “Further studies on the usefulness of cannabinoids in fibromyalgia patients, as well as cannabinoid system involvement in the pathophysiology of this condition, are warranted.” It is clear that marijuana treats symptoms effectively.
Cannabis vs. Traditional Treatments
Due to the complex, mysterious roots of fibromyalgia, treating it requires targeting it from multipronged angles. Traditional drugs include both over-the-counter and prescription painkillers, such as opioids, for somewhat relief, as well as antidepressants to treat the associated fatigue. Therapy involves intense exercise, counseling, and living less stressfully to improve body, mind, and quality of life.
Now, with studies showing enormous promise, cannabis could replace or supplement existing treatment to decrease the intensity of symptoms in fibromyalgia sufferers. Evidence proves cannabis extremely effective at alleviating severe pain, and it does so without the same risk of addiction or overdose as prescription painkillers.
Additionally, many, many studies show marijuana with a horde of other properties that could benefit fibromyalgia patients too. For example, science proves cannabis able to regulate sleeping patterns. What is more, depending on potency and dose of cannabis, studies show it stimulating energy, promoting wakefulness, and activating the mind, effects all crucial to treating fibromyalgia successfully.
Using Los Angeles Dispensaries
If you or a loved one is suffering from fibromyalgia, then just the immense pain you endure qualifies you for medical marijuana. If you have a doctor’s letter of recommendation to treat your illness with cannabis, then you can find it at any of the many Los Angeles dispensaries. Without a letter from your doctor, you will need to be 21-years of age or older before you can buy it from a retail store.
Yeah, that’s pretty cool!!