Management of chronic pain syndrome is complicated, involving simultaneous physical and psychological therapy. There should be a good relationship between the doctor and the patient to handle the intricacies of management better.
When dealing with chronic pain, you can rule out life-threatening illnesses. A multidisciplinary approach will then address the physical, emotional, and psychosocial issues involved in the disease.
The treatment of chronic pain syndrome concerning the patient will be customized. The treatment should be focused on interrupting reinforcing patterns of pain behavior and on modulating the pain response.
A holistic approach to treating chronic pain syndrome is the best way to manage the various issues that go into this disorder.
Characteristics of chronic pain syndrome include drug misuse, dependency, a dramatization of complaints, depression, disuse or dysfunction, and disability. Many emotional factors play into the disease, there must be a great deal of tolerance, a good rapport, and an open-minded approach to the healthcare provider taking care of the patient.
People with CPS commonly have exaggerated pain behavior with a disability that is out of proportion to the objective findings found on examination.
CBD and Chronic Pain Syndrome
There are many kinds of diagnoses that fall under the category of chronic pain syndrome.
They include the following:
· Cancer of the spinal cord or sacral nerves
· Various types of hernias
· Abdominal migraines
· Chronic headaches
· Fibromyalgia
· Pelvic floor syndrome
· Nerve entrapment syndromes
· Chronic visceral pain syndrome
· Chronic fatigue syndrome
· Substance abuse
· Chronic arthritis
· Irritable bowel syndrome
· Urinary pain
· Carpal tunnel syndrome
· Spinal disc disease
· Post-herpetic neuralgia
It mostly affects women, and currently, there’s no known cure for the condition. However, treatment options are available that focus on pain management.
CBD has been used to ease chronic pain symptoms and reduce inflammation as an alternative to taking opioid prescriptions, which can be addictive.
However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved CBD as a treatment option for Fibromyalgia or other conditions. The CBD-based prescription drug Epidiolex, an epilepsy treatment, is the only CBD product that’s FDA-approved and regulated.
There are currently no published studies on Fibromyalgia that look at the effects of CBD on its own. However, some research does look at the effects of cannabis, which may contain multiple cannabinoids on Fibromyalgia.
The results are mixed. More human studies are needed.
2019 Dutch study
A 2019 Dutch study looked at the effect of cannabis on 20 women with Fibromyalgia. Throughout the study, each participant received four types of cannabis:
- an unspecified amount of a placebo variety, which contained no CBD or THC
- 200 milligrams (mg) of a mixture with high amounts of both CBD and THC (Bediol)
- 200 mg of a variety with high quantities of CBD and low volumes of THC (Bedrolite)
- 100 mg of a type with small amounts of CBD and high amounts of THC (Bedrocan)
The researchers found that people’s spontaneous pain scores using the placebo variety were similar to the automatic pain scores of people using some of the non-placebo types.
However, Bediol, which is high in CBD and THC, brought relief to a more significant number of people than the placebo did. It caused a 30 percent reduction of spontaneous pain in 18 of the 20 participants. The placebo caused a 30 percent reduction of spontaneous pain in 11 participants.
Use of Bediol or Bedrocan, both high-THC varieties, significantly improved pressure pain thresholds compared to the placebo.
Bedrolite, which is high in CBD and low in THC, didn’t show any evidence of being able to relieve spontaneous or evoked pain.
2019 Israeli study
In a 2019 Israeli study, tests were conducted of hundreds of people with Fibromyalgia for least six months. Of the participants, 82 percent were women.
The study participants received guidance from nurses before taking medical cannabis. The nurses provided advice on:
- the 14 available cannabis strains
- delivery methods
- dosages
All the participants started with a low dosage of cannabis, and their dosages gradually increased throughout the study. The median approved dosage of cannabis began at 670 mg a day.
At six months, the median approved dosage of cannabis was 1,000 mg a day. The median recommended dosage of THC was 140 mg, and the median approved dosage of CBD was 39 mg a day.
The researchers admitted that the study had limitations. For instance, they were only able to follow up with about 70 percent of participants. The use of so many different strains also made it challenging to compare CBD-rich and THC-rich strains’ effects.
However, they still concluded that medical cannabis was a safe and effective treatment for Fibromyalgia.
At the beginning of the study, 52.5 percent of participants, or 193 people, described their pain level as high. At the 6-month follow-up, only 7.9 percent of those who responded to 19 people reported high levels of pain.
CBD Hemp Oil treatment options
If you want to avoid the psychoactive effects of marijuana, you can find CBD products that contain only trace amounts of THC. If you live in a place where recreational or medical marijuana is legal, you can find CBD products containing higher THC concentrations.
Although they each have benefits separately, CBD and TCH likely work best when combined. Experts refer to this synergy, or interaction, as the “entourage effect.”
CBD also acts against THC-targeted receptors to reduce the adverse effects of marijuana, such as paranoia and anxiety.
Types of CBD Hemp Oil Consumables
- Smoking or vaping.
If you want to relieve immediate pain, smoking CBD-rich hemp is the quickest way to reduce symptoms. Effects can last up to 3 hours. Smoking or vaping allows you to directly inhale CBD from the hemp plant, absorbing the chemical into your bloodstream and lungs.
- Edibles.
Edibles are foods cooked with the hemp plant, or hemp-infused oil or butter. It’ll take longer to experience symptom relief, but edibles can last for up to 6 hours.
- Oil extracts.
Oils can be applied topically, taken orally, or dissolved under the tongue and absorbed in mouth tissues.
- Topicals.
CBD oils can be infused into topical creams or balms and applied directly to the skin. These CBD products can be a useful option for reducing inflammation and helping with obvious pain.
CBD and Chronic Pain Side Effects
Cannabidiol is safe and has minimal side effects. However, some people have experienced the following side effects after using CBD:
- fatigue
- diarrhea
- appetite changes
- weight changes
Drug interactions are possible with CBD. Be aware of them if you’re currently taking other supplements or medications.
Conclusion
Researchers are still exploring whether CBD can effectively treat chronic pain disorders. Further studies are needed. There are some success stories, but CBD isn’t FDA-approved for Fibromyalgia. Also, research has yet to show us the long-term effects of CBD on the body.
If you decide to use CBD products for pain management, be sure to consult with a doctor. They can help you avoid adverse side effects or harmful interactions with your current medications and treatments.
