Cannabis may treat headaches and migraines. As someone who suffers from migraine headaches, the pain is unlike any other. In combination with nausea and light sensitivity, it can be impossible to work, socialize, or do anything but lie in total darkness and silence in agony.
I found a way to make the pain bearable, and I’m not the only one.
Using Cannabis To Treat Headache Pain Isn’t A New Phenomenon
People have been using cannabis to treat headaches for centuries. Its first uses for treating head pain date back hundreds to thousands of years.
Currently, nearly 36% of medical cannabis patients use cannabis to treat headaches or migraines. Furthermore, many users experience success with this approach. Many users reported an average 3.6-point decrease (on a 10-point scale) in headache severity after cannabis use.
Cannabinoids May Play A Role
Marijuana has natural compounds called cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are the natural compounds in marijuana. When you smoke or intake marijuana, the cannabinoids affect the receptors’ work and may calm down pain signals.
Preclinical studies also suggest that cannabinoids may be effective for treating migraines. In the study, which utilized rats, sumatriptan, morphine, and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) worked effectively. However, rats developed a tolerance to morphine’s effects. In contrast, the rats didn’t develop a tolerance to THC’s antimigraine effects.
In theory, the THC inhibits vasodilation of dural blood vessels and decreases the release of calcitonin gene-related peptides from trigeminal neurons. Both of these factors contribute to migraines. Those with an under-responsive endocannabinoid system may be more susceptible and prone to migraines.
Studies Aren’t Conclusive
There’s limited research, and much of it is anecdotal. In a study at the University of Colorado, 121 people who experienced chronic migraines used marijuana every day to help prevent attacks. About 40% of participants reported that the number of headaches they got each month was reduced by 50%. In the study, inhaling the marijuana smoke was more effective than eating edibles.
There has only been one randomized, double-blind study of cannabinoid treatment for headaches or migraines. 30 people participated. The patients who joined the study suffered from medication overuse headaches. The study demonstrated that nabilone (a synthetic cannabinoid) was more effective than ibuprofen at reducing pain intensity.
Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash
Personally, speaking…cannabis helps my headaches and migraines.
From personal experience, cannabis reduces pain and helps alleviate nausea. It is not a cure or a total pain reliever, but it can ease the intensity enough to make the migraine and resulting anxiety more bearable. There’s still a lot of research to be done in this field, but I do recommend your favorite strain of choice combined with an ice-cold pack and lots of water.
With any luck, you’ll be back to normal in no time at all.
