Fibromyalgia: can CBD help improve patients' quality of life?

What is fibromyalgia? 

Fibromyalgia, also known as fibromyalgia syndrome, is a chronic condition characterised by diffuse pain and sensitivity to pressure.

These symptoms are most often associated with others such as intense fatigue, sleep disorders and mood disorders.

In the UK, an estimated 1.5-2% of the population is affected by fibromyalgia. The prevalence increases with age, with a peak between the ages of 40 and 50. It is also higher in women than in men.

The origin of the pain caused by fibromyalgia is not yet known, and there is no specific treatment that can cure fibromyalgia.

The existing treatments aim to relieve symptoms, which tend to vary greatly from one patient to another.

The treatment of fibromyalgia is therefore based on multidisciplinary approach.

What is CBD? 

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the major elements of the hemp plant (Cannabis Sativa), also known as cannabis. The cannabis plant contains around a hundred physiologically active chemical substances known as cannabinoids. The best known of these is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC or THC), which has narcotic effects with a risk of dependence and harmful effects on health. Other cannabinoids (HHC, HHCO and HHCP) were also included in the list of narcotics by health authorities.

However, unlike THC, CBD is not addictive. Some of the therapeutic uses of CBD have been studied and validated by various health authorities, enabling it to be marketed, prescribed and administered as a medicinal product. For example, a drug called Epidyolex®, is indicated in combination with clobazam in the treatment of epileptic seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome, in patients aged 2 and over.

Since 2015, cannabidiol (CBD) has been marketed in various forms for its effects, real or supposed, in the field of well-being. These products are available in e-liquids for electronic cigarettes, in cosmetics and in foodstuffs in the form of oil, capsules, sweets, etc. 

What are the benefits of CBD for fibromyalgia? 

To date, there is no cure for fibromyalgia, and the treatments prescribed to fibromyalgia patients are purely symptomatic, aimed at relieving chronic pain and inflammation.

More and more fibromyalgia patients are replacing opioids - drugs commonly used to treat pain, including morphine, fentanyl and tramadol - with cannabidiol-based products to manage their pain.

The data published in the Journal of Pain is rather positive and encouraging, since CBD has fewer side effects than opioids, particularly in terms of dependence.

The lead author of the study, Kevin Boehnke, a researcher in the Department of Anaesthesiology at the University of Michigan, and his team questioned 878 fibromyalgia patients about their use of CBD for the treatment of chronic pain. The results show that :

• Over 70% of patients use CBD instead of opioids or other powerful painkillers,
  
• Among these patients, a large proportion say they have reduced the dose or even stopped taking opioids.
  

Fibromyalgia patients using CBD report that it has had positive effects on their symptoms, resulting in:

• Less pain,
  
• Better sleep,
  
• Reduced anxiety,
  
• Improved general well-being.
  

CBD interacts with the body's endocannabinoid system (ECS), which plays a role in pain perception, inflammatory response and sleep-wake rhythms. CBD can also have a soothing effect and promote relaxation.

An Israeli study looked at the effects of cannabidiol on 367 fibromyalgia patients. The participants of the study were given either CBD, a cannabis-based product containing THC, or a placebo. Those who used CBD reported having a lot less pain and a better sleep compared with the placebo group. Those who took cannabis with THC also showed an improvement of other symptoms. However, the use of CBD alone appeared to be sufficient to relieve symptoms.

A second study conducted by Italian researchers looked at the effects of CBD on the pain and sleep quality of 102 fibromyalgia sufferers over a 6-month period. The participants of the study were given either CBD or a placebo. The patients who used CBD had less pain and a better quality of sleep compared with the placebo group.

Conclusion 

The results of these studies suggest that CBD can help fibromyalgia patients to relieve their pain and sleep disorders. However, it is important to note that more in-depth clinical studies are needed to confirm the long-term effects and consequences of taking CBD for the management of fibromyalgia.

It's also important to note that CBD could interact with certain medications, so it is always best to talk to your doctor before trying any new medication.

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