Fibromyalgia Patients Considering Pot As Painkiller

Some Fibromyalgia patients are looking to marijuana as a means to treating pain, according to a CNN report. The body makes endorphins and substances that can ease pain in the “endocannabinoid system,” which impacts how we feel pain. Marijuana reportedly has cannabinoids that are similar to those naturally occurring in the body. The problem with marijuana maybe its other ingredients and/or its interaction with other medicines, since it is a natural product comprised of many compounds.

There are about three drugs on the market that are said to be based on the main ingredient in marijuana, THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. Nabilone was approved to aid cancer patients in treating nausea from chemotherapy. Also called Cesamet, it is said to help ease pain and enhance sleep. Another drug used to help ease chemo-induced nausea and vomiting is Marinol or Dronabinol. Sativex, another similar drug, is in clinical trials. It would be administered for cancer pain by spraying it under the tongue or into the cheek.

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