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Migraine is not like any typical headaches because a migraine attack can last for a few hours to a few days. Forget doing regular activities, even moving or being around loud noise and light can be very difficult when you are under a migraine attack. The pain medications can only provide temporary relief from migraine attacks. Since most pain medications can cause side effects, people are looking for a natural remedy that can help in alleviating migraine symptoms.
If recent studies are to be believed, CBD might be an effective treatment option for migraine and headaches. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the active cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Even though CBD is present in both hemp and marijuana plants, it is mainly extracted from the hemp plant owing to the low content of THC in it.
CBD is currently used as a natural remedy for many of the health disorders that we usually suffer from. In this article, we will take a look at how CBD helps in the treatment of migraine.
CBD For Migraine Treatment
Before we go any further, you should note that there is only limited research on the effect of CBD in treating migraines. Most of the existing studies look at the combined effects of CBD and THC on the treatment of migraines. It is also important to note that no clinical or observational studies have looked at the effects of CBD on treating migraine as a single ingredient. The regulations on CBD and problems with the legalization of cannabis are some of the reasons for the limited research on CBD for the treatment of migraine.
There are several laboratory studies on the effects of CBD that has found that it may help in alleviating all forms of pain that affect your body, including migraine. A study conducted in 2017 has looked at the effects of cannabinoids on migraine prevention and the researchers have found positive results. During the first phase of the study, 48 test subjects who were suffering from migraines received a combination of two compounds. 19% THC was present in one compound and the other compound contained 9% CBD and zero THC.
All the test subjects received the compounds orally and when the doses were under 100 mg, no effects were observed. However, a 55% decrease in acute pain was observed when the doses were increased to 200 mg. During the second phase of the study, the researchers looked at the effects of the THC-CBD combination from phase 1 and 25 mg of amitriptyline. The treatment period lasted for about three months. It was found that the combination of THC and CBD helped to reduce the migraine attacks by 40.4% and reduced the pain intensity by 43.5%.
Related: Does CBD make you high? Click here to learn more about the differences between CBD and THC.
What Does Other Studies Say?
Scientists have found many positive results for migraine treatment with the use of other forms of cannabis. A 2016 study looked at the effects of medical marijuana on migraine treatment in 48 people. At the end of the study period, 39.7% of the test subjects reported decreased migraine attacks. However, some people have experienced drowsiness as a side effect. Most people who experienced side effects took edible marijuana instead of inhaling it.
Another study conducted in 2018, looked at 2,032 people who were suffering from migraine, chronic pain, headache, arthritis, etc. Most of them were asked to replace their traditional pain medications with cannabis. A significant reduction in pain intensity was observed in almost all participants. People who were suffering from migraines and headaches used a hybrid cannabis strain that has low CBD levels and high THC levels.
Scientists have also looked at the effects of nabilone, a synthetic form of CBD on the treatment of migraines. The study was conducted on 26 people who were suffering from medication overuse headaches. The participants took 0.5 mg of nabilone daily for 8 weeks and 400 mg of ibuprofen for another 8 weeks after taking a one-week break. Both drugs were very effective in reducing headaches, but nabilone provided a better quality of life and less pain intensity.
Related: What are the anti-depressant and anxiolytic properties of CBD? Click here to learn more.
How to Use CBD For Treating Migraine?
Millions of people around the world are currently using different forms of CBD for treating their health problems. They often use CBD in the form of edibles, vapes, or even topicals. If you need localized pain relief, topical CBD products are your best choice. However, for getting relief from migraines, you may have to take CBD orally or vape it. Taking a few drops of CBD oil under your tongue will help in the faster absorption of CBD into the bloodstream.
Most people with severe migraines prefer to vape CBD oil because it is a faster way of experiencing the effects of CBD and vaping ensures a higher bioavailability of CBD.