Day: August 3, 2026

Marijuana is a Psychoactive Drug. But is it Really a Medicine? Marijuana laws are changing rapidly, but as of now, adults can use it recreationally in just 10 states. That number more than triples when it comes to medical marijuana, which is legal in 33 states. So which is it: A pleasure drug or a pharmaceutical one? And what difference does that make when it comes to regulating cannabis? These are questions to consider as states like Illinois explore moving from a medical program to a more open-ended recreational one.…

Patients with Chiari Type 1 Malformation and Syringomyelia Often Told “It’s all in Your Head” The symptoms can be so similar to a host of other conditions that patients are often told that their chronic headaches and muscle weakness are psychosomatic, or that the symptoms are “all in their head.” Patients with syringomyelia and Chiari Type 1 often present with an intense, burning-type nerve pain and/or headaches, among other symptoms. Chiari is indeed in the head, but it is a physical condition, most often congenital in nature. According to the…

Nearly 20% of People with Spondyloarthritis Also Have Fibromyalgia, New Data Show Female patients were much more likely to have a dual diagnosis. Small studies have suggested an overlap between spondyloarthritis (SpA) and fibromyalgia, but now a larger meta-analysis confirms it: About 17 percent of SpA patients also have fibromyalgia, compared to 2 to 8 percent of the general population that has fibromyalgia These findings, which were based on an analysis of 15 earlier observational trials, were presented at the 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ACR/ARP) Annual Meeting…

Chronic pain may increase the risk of high blood pressure in adults Depression resulting from pain may be a contributing factor in the development of high blood pressure, finds a new study in the Hypertension Journal Research Highlights: Chronic pain may be linked to the development of high blood pressure. The duration and location of pain was associated with the likelihood of developing high blood pressure. In addition, depression and inflammation explained some of the association between chronic pain and high blood pressure. These findings highlight the importance of pain…

Fibromyalgia and Its Endocrine Comorbidities A study from Israel takes a closer look at the association between fibromyalgia and endocrine disorders, including thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, pituitary and adrenal disorders, metabolic bone diseases, and vitamin D deficiency. Patients with fibromyalgia have a significantly higher prevalence of endocrine comorbidities compared with healthy controls, suggesting overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms, the findings from a recent study suggest The Bottom Line A new population-based, case-control study matched adults with fibromyalgia by age and sex to control subjects without fibromyalgia in a 1:5 ratio. Compared to controls,…

Fibromyalgia in Men: Important Facts About an Overlooked and Misunderstood Condition It’s often said that more than 90 percent of people with fibromyalgia are women, but more recent studies suggest fibro in men is much more common than previously thought. When Zane K. suspected he had fibromyalgia, he mentioned it to his doctor. The response: “He laughed,” Zane recalled in a Facebook post, “and said it was a women’s syndrome.” He had to find a new doctor, endure months of tests, and get a recommendation to see a rheumatologist before…

Huge study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD Summary:The largest review of medicinal cannabis to date found it doesn’t effectively treat anxiety, depression, or PTSD—despite millions using it for those reasons. Researchers warn it could even make mental health worse, raising risks like psychosis and addiction while delaying proven treatments. Some limited benefits were seen for conditions like insomnia and autism, but the evidence is weak. The findings are fueling calls for stricter oversight as cannabis use continues to rise A major paper published in The Lancet reports that…