Though the first clinical study into the value of cannabis in helping migraine headaches is ongoing, initial research and anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD does help migraines.
Genetics, stress, diet, aging … researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes migraine headaches. But any one of the 39 million Americans per year who suffer the debilitating neural attacks—which can last for days and totally derail normal activities—knows all that matters in the moment is how to stop them or at least soothe symptoms that can include blurred vision, interruption in speech, extreme sensitivity to sound and light, as well as intense pain.
Complicating matters, typical over-the-counter painkillers aren’t a reliable long-term solution to migraine pain, as aspirin and Tylenol can trigger “medication-overuse headaches.” What to do?
In the era of cannabis legalization, many migraine sufferers have turned to cannabis products, including 50-state-legal CBD oil, for self-medicated relief. But does CBD help migraines?
The honest answer is: Nobody can say for sure. For now, there is scant data on the subject. “That does not mean [components of cannabis] do not work, however,” as Dr. Stephen Silberstein, a physician and a member of the American Headache Society, told an interviewer. “What it means is that they have not been studied.”
While there are numerous published studies affirming cannabis’s value as a general pain-relief tonic, what’s believed to be the first double-blind clinical trial examining efficacy in treating migraines began in March 2021 at UC San Diego Health. Researchers are currently studying the effects of both THC, CBD, and the two cannabinoids paired together on migraine headaches.
In the meantime, there’s a growing body of anecdotal and clinical evidence that cannabis is beneficial. Consumers of high-THC, low-CBD strains report relief from migraine specifically.
But migraine sufferers may (justifiably) want relief without any intoxication. Unlike THC, which produces well-known psychoactive effects, CBD is not associated with the euphoria and sensory alterations that THC can cause.
So the question stands: Does CBD help migraines? Recent research suggests that it might!
And at the very least, mainstream doctors at the American Headache Society acknowledge that CBD oil is worth a try. Worst-case scenario is, nothing happens.
Migraines and Cannabis
Migraine sufferers don’t need much of an introduction to how a migraine feels, but it’s worth reviewing what processes may be ongoing in the brain before, during, and after a migraine.
According to the Mayo Clinic, subtle changes in the brain, such as serotonin levels and activation of various neurotransmitters, may play a role, as well as interactions between the brainstem and the trigeminal nerve.
Significantly, cannabis interacts with neurotransmitters. And more studies report that cannabis is associated with pain relief. CBD, or cannabidiol, activates certain transmitters in the brain and body, a network of receptors generally referred to as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). So it stands to reason that CBD does “something,” or at the very least, has the potential to alter the chemical imbalances that may be causing the migraine.
CBD and Pain
Cannabis components, including CBD, are associated with overall pain relief in some subjects. Thus, CBD could help soothe migraine pain—and could also avoid the trap of a medication-overuse headache.
And CBD is associated with anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety effects, which means CBD could have value as a preventative as much as a palliative for migraine sufferers.
As Forbes reported, a significant majority of respondents to a survey conducted by a manufacturer of a CBD oil reported eased symptoms and reduced use of medication after using CBD oil for 30 days.
CBD for Your Migraine? Why Not?
All this preliminary research is promising, but not definitive. And that’s typical of most questions regarding cannabis and various health ailments.
But what might be most useful is the value proposition: CBD may help. CBD is highly unlikely to hurt. And some migraine patients do report that CBD helps their migraines.
Will CBD work for your migraine? There’s only one way to find out. And you have nothing to lose, except possibly some pain.
Can CBD cure a hangover? Learn more on DaVinci’s blog