Do Cannabinoids Have a Role in Managing Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia can be challenging to manage — guidelines recommend a symptom-driven approach addressing pain, sleep, fatigue, and functioning. Interest is growing in defining a role for cannabinoids, which reduce neuronal excitability and might alleviate pain, inflammation, depression, and addiction. Mayo Clinic researchers surveyed >5000 adult patients with fibromyalgia about their experiences with cannabis use for symptom management; whether this use was recommended by their doctors was not addressed.

Half of the 1336 respondents reported using cannabis after their fibromyalgia diagnosis. Cannabis users tended to be younger and were more likely to be disabled and to have comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, anxiety, and depression…