Would the inclusion of medical cannabis in pain management education from nurses provide support for fibromyalgia (FM) patients? In a recently published study, researchers aimed to investigate the role of nurses in therapeutic treatment education intervention to bridge knowledge gaps in medical cannabis as a therapeutic option. The study, “Symptom management, adherence to therapy, and filling the gaps of medical cannabis therapy: a qualitative study on the importance of nursing consultations for fibromyalgia patients,” was published in the Journal of Cannabis Research in October 2025 (1).

Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Treatments

The chronic condition fibromyalgia is characterized by symptoms that include generalized pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and high psychological distress. Though the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) agrees that nurses should be involved in patient education on therapeutic management options for FM, including medical cannabis, though currently there is no definite treatment for FM offered by EULAR. Other research has suggested gradual and multimodal approaches, while typical pharmacological interventions include antidepressants, muscle relaxants, antiepileptics, and occasionally analgesics. Exercise is one of the main non-pharmacological treatments.

Study Design: Nurse Education and Symptom Measurements

Study participants were recruited from the Italian Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association (AISF Onlus). A total of 30 FM patients completed the study, all had been diagnosed with FM and were older than 18 years of age. These patients completed the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) and the A-14 Scale two weeks before the educational session. The FIQR covers physical function, general health and symptoms within the past seven days and the A-14 covers therapeutic adherence and barriers.

Consulting nurses provided a 30-minute educational intervention session through a videoconference for the patients, who were using or had used medical cannabis, or had indicated interest in it. The education included an assessment of medical cannabis therapy. Twenty of the participants indicated that medical cannabis had never been offered as a treatment option, even after years of treatments with ineffective results. High cost and physician resistance were named by other patients as barriers to accessing medical cannabis.

Two weeks after the educational session, the patients completed the FIQR and A-14 Scale once more, in addition to the Clinical Global Impression – Global Improvement (CGI-I) Scale, which measures a patient’s subjective progress.

Results: Improvements in Scores

• After the education session, 14 patients reported an improvement in severity index in the FIQR, while 2 reported reduced scores
• Changes In A-14 Scale scores before and after the intervention were also statistically significant
• CGI-I scores showed 10 patients demonstrated a slight but significant improvement after the education session, and 4 patients demonstrated a marked improvement

Limitations to the study include the small sample size, short timeframe for the follow up, and the possibility of selection bias for the patients.

The assessments of the patients revealed that all were dissatisfied with their current FM treatments, found the educational intervention to be helpful, and were disappointed with the lack of knowledge in the medical community in general about FM.

Impact on Fibromyalgia Patients

Overall, the researchers concluded that education intervention from nurses plays an important role in therapeutic treatments of FM. “Our findings suggest that patients with FM require specialist clinical advice from initial diagnosis through to the end of treatment, and that nurses with in-depth knowledge of fibromyalgia and treatment options are the best professionals to perform this task; furthermore, healthcare professionals should receive a better education about MC-based treatment regimens,” they stated.

Additionally, the very act of the dedicated time for an educational session on FM provided reassurance for patients, the researchers explained.

Reference

1. Bassi, G.M.; Giorgi, V.; Lazzarin, M.; Meanti, R.; Omeljaniuk, RJ.; Sarzi-Puttini, P.; Torsello, A. Symptom management, adherence to therapy, and filling the gaps of medical cannabis therapy: a qualitative study on the importance of nursing consultations for fibromyalgia patients. J Cannabis Res 7, 84 (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s42238-025-00346-z