by Joe Klare

Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome in which people experience long-term, body-wide pain and tender points in joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues.

Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, anxiety, and other symptoms. – National Center for Biotechnology Information

Fibromyalgia is characterized by sharp pain in the soft tissues of the body – known as “tender points” – in places like the knees, hips, and lower back. The pain radiates out from these “tender points” and can become severe enough to be debilitating to the sufferer. Often the pain will seem like it is originating in the body’s joints.

As is the case with many ailments, those with Fibromyalgia can find relief  with cannabis. But certain strains help better than others, and that’s why there is “This For That.”

Strains high in CBD (Cannabidiol) – a cannabinoid found in marijuana shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, among others – are great for Fibromyalgia, according to Peter from Facebook. He says strains like Afghani Dream and Pineapple Thai work great on the symptoms of Fibro. AD “is one of the purest, most potent Indica varieties in the world,” according to the British Columbia Seed Company.

Pineapple Thai is very high in CBD. It has a sweet, fruity aroma, and is known to be great for pain relief. It works well for those who want to relax or have trouble sleeping and doesn’t give those who use it the flighty, stoned feeling in the head that characterizes many strains.

Another strain recommended by Peter is Cannatonic, an Afghani hybrid that will relieve your pain while leaving you able to function all day – despite its name.

Lisa, also from Facebook, recommended Jack Herer for Fibromyalgia relief. JH is a sativa-dominant hybrid that is good for relaxing and concentrating on tasks, and has a distinct skunk-like smell.

The fine folks at Cannamart Dispensary in Colorado say their fibromyalgia patients prefer strong indicas like Granddaddy Purple, Bubba Kush, and Purple Urkle.  All three strains come with the heavy indica body high, which helps Fibro sufferers relax and rest. In fact it might be worthwhile to experiment with several purple indicas to see which works best.

In my search for the best strains for Fibromyalgia I contacted Canadian marijuana activist and writer Matt Mernagh. Matt was first diagnosed with Fibro in 1997 – at the time, quite a rare condition. He mentioned several strains that seem to work well. “AK-47, White Widow, Jean Guy, White Rhino, [and] Great White Shark – those are some of my picks for Fibromyalgia patients,” Matt told me.

He places Jean Guy as one of his favorite strains of all time. It has a “couch-lock” effect, but allows Matt to be creative while his body enjoys the relief from the pain. It’s great for writing and gaming – anything that you can do sitting down.

Matt describes White Widow in much the same way, saying – like Jean Guy – it’s “perfect” for Finbromyalgia patients. He says AK-47 is a pretty good indica for pain relief as well, but in many of the reviews on his website, Matt describes the vast differences in quality, even among different batches of the same strain.

That’s why we always say that a good amount of experimentation needs to go into finding the right strain for you. Consult your doctor, budtender, and your friends. While your choices can be narrowed down to a exceptional few, different people have different reactions to strains. And a note to growers: how well you perform your task can mean a world of difference to someone suffering in daily, dire pain. Treat your plants like they can save someone’s life one day – because they just might.