Originally recognized by the American College of Rheumatology in 1990, Fibromyalgia is highly misunderstood among the general population. Predominant in the female population, as high as 7% of the population has been reported, with many more cases going undiagnosed. As awareness of the disease grows, so too is the demand for ways to manage the pain.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Largely characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia also can be accompanied by memory and mood issues, fatigue and trouble sleeping. While much about this disorder remains unknown, experts believe that it affects the way your brain is able to process pain signals by amplifying the body’s pain sensations.
Symptoms include:
- Extreme and widespread pain
- Chronic headache
- Jaw pain
- Fatigue
- Disrupted sleep patterns
- Joint stiffness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Bladder and bowel abnormalities
- Numbness and tingling
While there is no known cure for the disorder, doctors currently prescribe medications to help control the various symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Medical professionals also cite exercise, stress-reduction, and relaxation as beneficial ways of managing symptoms.
Fibromyalgia and Cannabis
Cannabis has been found to be beneficial in the management of a number of fibromyalgia symptoms including pain relief, better sleep, and increased energy levels.
The use of Cannabis for pain relief has been gaining in popularity recently, as a growing number of Americans become educated on the uses of marijuana as a medical alternative. Peripheral nerves that detect pain sensations in the body contain receptors for cannabinoids, found in cannabis. These cannabinoids work to block the transfer of pain along the peripheral nerves to the brain, effectively managing pain throughout the body.
Marijuana Gum
AXIM Biotechnologies has created a marijuana gum, allowing the user to digest equal parts of both THC and CBD. Chief executive officer Dr. George E. Anastassoy, MD, DDS, MBA explained that the gum allows the patient to bypass the liver, allowing the active ingredients to work faster and more efficiently.
Professor John Zajicek explains that chewing, as opposed to breathing or ingesting the product, means that there is now ‘peak’ as is associated with the more traditional cannabis applications. Chewing itself also carries its own benefits, relieving stress and stimulating the cardiovascular system. It also helps to slow down the loss of cognition that comes with aging. Furthermore, according to Zajicek, chewing gum is considered to be more socially acceptable than ingesting or smoking marijuana.
At this time AXIM holds the patent for their chewing gum product, with one product already on the market. Can Chew Gum is currently on the shelves everywhere that CBD products can be legally carried, marketed as a dietary supplement. The company is also in the testing phase of developing topical CBG treatments that they advise are beneficial both for eczema and psoriasis.