The diffuse, erratic and sometimes confusing symptoms of fibromyalgia are often a mystery to treat. However, medical marijuana might be just what the doctor ordered to help you start to feel like yourself again! Keep reading to learn more about how cannabis can help treat symptoms caused by fibromyalgia, and what you need to do in order to get access to the natural relief you deserve.
Researchers still don’t quite understand precisely what fibro is, what causes it, or how to cure it. The best option out there is to find ways to treat symptoms. Patients who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia qualify for medical marijuana in Virginia, and cannabis could be a treatment option that helps patients avoid a prescription medication cocktail that makes them feel worse than they do when they don’t take anything at all.
Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary from person to person, and from day to day. Doctors used to use firm pressure to 18 “tender points” on the body. If 11 of the 18 caused pain, that warranted a fibromyalgia diagnosis. However, the current standard for diagnosis is simply having three or more months of widespread pain.
Other symptoms of fibromyalgia include:
Jaw Pain
Morning Stiffness
Headaches
Trouble Sleeping
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Nausea
Tingling and Numbness in Extremities
Fatigue
Depression or anxiety
Treating Symptoms of Fibromyalgia With Medical Marijuana
Virginia patients can now treat their fibromyalgia symptoms with medical marijuana, and many are finding natural relief they never thought possible. Cannabis usually comes with minimal unwanted side effects, and there are lots of different products and strains that each create a different effect. This means it’s easy to tailor your treatment to meet your specific goals.
Virginia Marijuana Card’s compassionate healthcare professionals are here to help you with every step you take toward getting your life back. From helping you get your paperwork in order, to offering free follow-up visits for the entire time that your marijuana card is valid through us, we provide the caring support you need in order to take control of your treatment plan!
Give us a call today at (888) 633-5808 to talk to a patient support representative and get your questions about medical marijuana answered. Or, if you feel like you are ready to jump right into getting natural relief, make an appointment to get your medical marijuana evaluation right now!
How Medical Marijuana Works
Cannabis is currently being studied for everything from its ability to reduce the size of certain tumors, to its complexion-enhancing properties. More research is necessary to fully understand the way medical marijuana works with your body to alleviate symptoms related to such a wide variety of systems.
However, we know that the way cannabinoids like THC and CBD interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system play an important role. The endocannabinoid system is a network of neuroreceptors and transmitters that essentially help regulate your internal sense of homeostasis.
When this system is operating at an optimal level, it helps to ensure healthy functions of almost every other part of your body, including your musculoskeletal system, vital organs, and your brain.
Medical marijuana can help support the healthy functioning of your endocannabinoid system, therefore helping to bring your body and mind back into balance.
Treating Fibromyalgia-Related Pain With Medical Marijuana
Medical marijuana is well-known for its pain-relieving properties. In fact, one of the most common diagnoses among patients at Virginia Marijuana Card is chronic pain.
One thing that makes cannabis such a popular choice for treating pain, is that it can relieve several different types of pain. Some studies indicate that medical marijuana could be useful in reducing neuropathic (nerve) pain; researchers are very interested in learning more about the ways that cannabis works to reduce inflammation; and finally, medical marijuana appears to increase tolerance for pain.
Some experts believe that the pain caused by fibromyalgia is associated with the way the central and peripheral nervous systems process sensory input. So the fact that cannabis may be good for nerve pain will be of special interest to people with fibro.
Treating Fibro-Fatigue and Sleeplessness With Medical Marijuana
People living with fibromyalgia often find themselves having to make major lifestyle adjustments in order to manage the fatigue and sleepless nights that are a common characteristic of the condition.
While there is still some question about whether medical marijuana helps people suffering from insomnia to establish a healthy sleep pattern, plenty of patients swear by it. Cannabis can help restore sleep that is disrupted by pain and stiff joints, and sometimes that’s all you need in order to feel rested in the morning.
Additionally, experiencing pain day in and day out takes its toll on your energy reserves. With cannabis as an effective pain reliever, reduced pain is one less thing to drain you throughout your day.
The health professionals at Virginia Marijuana Card can help you find the right strains and products to achieve your treatment goals. Their experience with using cannabis to treat a long list of symptoms and conditions means that they can take some of the guesswork out of using cannabis!
Cannabis for Fibromyalgia-Related Digestive Problems: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Nausea
Several studies have shown that there is a connection between the endocannabinoid system and receptors within the digestive system. This means that supporting endocannabinoid health may regulate gut health as well.
The cause of IBS is unclear, but reducing anxiety and getting better rest seem to be an effective way to manage the worst of some symptoms.
It’s also clear that cannabis helps relieve nausea. A recent study conducted by the University of New Mexico showed that 96% of participants experienced reduction of nausea when they used marijuana. Symptom relief began as quickly as five minutes after use, and increased with continued use.
Using Medical Marijuana to Treat Anxiety and Depression Caused by Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is full of uncertainties, and the exact cause of most of the accompanying symptoms remains unclear. This includes the question of whether anxiety and depression are directly caused by the disease process, or the challenges of symptom management.
For some patients dealing with depression or anxiety, medical marijuana is literally a lifesaver. For others, it does nothing or makes things worse (though this may be related to a lack of education and direction in using cannabis as a legitimate medicine).
It is clear, however, that reducing symptoms like pain, IBS, nausea, and sleeplessness can lead to a happier, less anxious existence. And that is a welcome relief for a vast majority of fibromyalgia patients.
Talk to a Cannabis Health Professional in Virginia, to See if Medical Marijuana Can Help You Manage Fibromyalgia
With medical marijuana being newly accepted as a legitimate medicine in most states, it can be a real challenge to understand exactly how cannabis can help you.
The patient support experts and healthcare professionals at Virginia Marijuana Card are here to answer all your questions and guide you through the process of taking control of your treatment plan.
We want you to feel empowered to make the right decisions for your health, and you deserve to get relief!
Give us a call at (888) 633-5808 to learn more about how you can incorporate medical marijuana into your lifestyle for treatment of your fibro symptoms. If you’re ready to make an appointment for a marijuana evaluation, simply click here. We are here for you every step of the way!
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
At Virginia Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to MMJ. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (888) 633-5808, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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