by Dr. Bill Rawls
Posted 2/18/19

Can CBD from hemp oil help reduce symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic Lyme disease? Dr. Bill Rawls explains how CBD helps modulate the immune system, ease stress and pain, and bring on sleep. Get an essential guide to CBD here »

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Video Transcript

Question: Does CBD help with fibromyalgia and chronic Lyme disease?

Hello, everyone. Dr. Bill Rawls here. The question today is: Does CBD from hemp, a form of cannabis, help with fibromyalgia and chronic Lyme disease? The answer is yes: I think it is one of many herbs that can be very beneficial for these conditions.

Cannabidiol, or CBD from hemp-based cannabis extract, has some really wonderful properties that are beneficial for these kinds of conditions. It’s a wonderful immune modulator, it balances the immune system and helps it work better. It can decrease some of the effects of stress. It has some pain-relieving properties. In many people, it helps with sleep. All are really wonderful aspects of CBD from hemp.

But I wouldn’t rate it as being a treatment for fibromyalgia or chronic Lyme by itself. I think it needs to be combined with other herbs, especially antimicrobial herbs. I think the origins of both of these illnesses have to do with stealth microbes, intracellular microbes. Not just one microbe, but actually a whole spectrum of microbes and immune dysfunction.

CBD is helping with the immune dysfunction, but I think it works best when it’s combined with other immune-modulating herbs, especially antimicrobial herbs. Hemp does have some antimicrobial properties, as all herbs do, but I wouldn’t consider it a strong antimicrobial, not nearly as much as some other herbs.

My favorites? Andrographis, cryptolepis. Neem is a good one. Japanese knotweed. Garlic is a really nice antimicrobial herb. There are many, many other immune-modulating herbs. Reishi and cordyceps are some of my favorites. Red sage is another immune-modulating herb.

When we combine them, when we’re using CBD as a hemp extract, it can work as an adjuvant — it helps these other herbs work better. It’s nice to put in the mix, but I wouldn’t recommend it just as a standalone.

That being said, I do think herbal therapy in general is the solution for these conditions, and using a well-planned spectrum of herbs can get you to where you want to be, with a goal ultimately of wellness and getting your life back.

Dr. Rawls is a physician who overcame Lyme disease through natural herbal therapy. You can learn more about Lyme disease in Dr. Rawls’ new best selling book, Unlocking Lyme.
You can also learn about Dr. Rawls’ personal journey in overcoming Lyme disease and fibromyalgia in his popular blog post, My Chronic Lyme Journey.