Using CBD for Migraines

CBD products have been gaining in popularity for a while now as a powerful way to help prevent and treat migraine attacks. How do you know if CBD products are right for you, however? What follows is a quick look at how CBD products can help if you suffer from migraines.

To begin, what is a migraine?

A migraine attack makes itself felt as intense, pulsating pain, focused on a well-defined location in the head. The pain, often appearing together with nausea and sensitivity to light or sound, can be debilitating. Migraine attacks occur in ten percent of the population, according to the National Institutes of Health.

How is the endocannabinoid system involved in migraine attacks?

Cannabis products such as CBD have been applied to the treatment of migraines for centuries. They work because they mimic the action of the body’s internal endocannabinoid system, a network that produces and senses cannabinoids in the body. Anandamide, for instance, is a cannabinoid molecule produced in the body, that closely mimics the action of the THC molecule found in cannabis plants. Studies have found that those who suffer from regular migraine attacks tend to possess low levels of anandamide. Some researchers believe, therefore, that a deficient endocannabinoid system may be the cause of migraines.

A 2016 study from Colorado termed Effects of Medical Marijuana on Migraine Headache Frequency in an Adult Population, showed that use of cannabis products nearly halved the rate of incidence of migraines in study subjects.

Using CBD for Migraines

If migraines are caused by deficiencies in the body’s endocannabinoid system, supplementing the system with doses of cannabinoids should be able to help. It is for this reason that many people who suffer from migraines turn to CBD. A daily dose of CBD oil may be able to prevent migraines in some people.

One study has found that a combination of CBD and THC offers better results in the treatment of migraine than medications commonly prescribed for the condition. In a survey done in 2015, CBD was found to be associated with lower pain levels in migraine attacks in all patients polled.

There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that people who suffer from migraines are able to hold off attacks when they take CBD preemptively upon sensing an oncoming attack. Administering CBD oil sublingually is often known to work in these cases.

CBD may be the Safest Alternative Available

Many doctors prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine for migraines. These medicines come with serious side-effects for the liver, however. Opioid painkillers such as OxyContin are effective but come with the risk of addiction. Others such as triptans and ergotamines come with unintended effects in varying degrees. They can affect the heart, cause dizziness, and drowsiness. Two out of three people who suffer from migraines avoid taking these medications out of concern about their incidental effects.

CBD products come with virtually none or minimal side-effects. They are non-psychoactive and can be effective in the treatment of migraines in many people. If you suffer from migraines, you should ask a doctor about trying out CBD products to see if they can help you.