Is medical marijuana a good option to treat migraine headaches? Medical marijuana, which has higher amounts of CBD (cannabidiol) and one of the many compounds present in medical cannabis, is recently getting much attention for its pain-relieving properties. But then, can MMJ sold at a cannabis dispensary really be used for persistent headaches like a migraine? Let’s find out in the following sections.
CBD Benefits
There are many benefits of using CBD without the high that THC can cause. Due to its lack of psychoactive effects, more patients also prefer it to THC. The following are some of its main benefits.
Pain relief
As far as 2900 BC, medical marijuana has been used to treat pain. And today, more research and studies have been discovering how the wonder herb can help in relieving pain.
Certain studies had it that CBD may help in reducing chronic pain by affecting the activity of the endocannabinoid receptor, interacting with the neurotransmitters and reducing inflammation.
But in some cases, combining THC with CBD may be more effective in alleviating pain in diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
Anti-Anxiety
According to a published report to find at the Neurotherapeutics journal (2015), CBD may help in treating anxiety disorders.
The report revealed that CBD might help in treating panic disorder, anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
It might also be effective in treating posttraumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Antipsychotic
Certain research also shows it has antipsychotic effects due to its pharmacological profile that is similar to atypical drugs, based on animal studies that used neuro-chemical and behavioral techniques.
In addition, it may help in preventing human experimental psychosis, according to certain studies.
Cancer symptoms reduction
It may also help in fighting cancer for its ability to inhibit cancer cell activity.
Some reports revealed that it possesses pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects that can prevent cancer cell migration, invasion, and adhesion.
Based on a study to find at the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (2006), CBD may help in inhibiting cancer cell growth especially that of breast tumor lines.
Overall, most research and studies have been pointing out that at low doses, CBD behaves as a non-toxic compound, which makes it safe for prolonged treatment. They also suggest that CBD can inhibit colon and lung cancer invasion.
Other benefits of CBD
- Can trigger the death of a breast cancer cell
- Inhibits lung cancer spread
- Can help reduce public speaking anxiety at a higher dose
- Can relieve chronic pain when combined with THC
- Prevents seizures
- Decreases social anxiety by controlling the brain’s part that controls fear, the amygdala
- Can protect neurons from oxidative stress and damage
- May help improve schizophrenia symptoms
How Does CBD help Migraines?
Irregularities in the neurotransmitters, including in serotonin, may play a role in migraines and headaches even if their causes are yet to be fully understood.
Recently, studies have been pointing out that cannabis has the ability to interact with the endocannabinoid system, which is the reception site for MMJ compounds. The system works like a circuit breaker.
For example, it quiets down certain overactive systems if they are or stabilizes a system, especially in cases when the brain seems depressed.
When it comes to migraines, THC, which is said to be an immunosuppressant, may help in treating migraines caused by inflammation especially among women.
The University of Colorado’s Department of Clinical Pharmacy was the first clinical trial (2016) that demonstrated how effective marijuana was in treating migraines.
Study: One hundred twenty-one (121) adults used MMJ in treating their migraine headaches. For the result, the frequency of migraine episodes dropped from 10.4% to 4.6% monthly among the participants. Also, about 40% of them reported preventing or reducing migraine headaches through smoking MMJ.
The participants used different MMJ types, but most of them inhaled it for migraine pain relief. On the other hand, edibles didn’t help as much as smoking did. They also noted that smoked weed was easier to dose control and that they had fewer negative reactions to it.
How Much Medical Marijuana To Use For Headaches?
While there is no rule set in stone here, many medical cannabis doctors recommend daily dosing of 0.1mg of sativa per lb of the patient’s body weight if using a vaporizer or another inhalation method. For the edible capsule or oil, the general recommendation is between 30-36 mg per lb of body weight.
Final Thoughts
Fighting a migraine is uneasy, and it’s as if you’d want to lock yourself in a dark room while waiting for it to fade. Thank goodness that there is now medical cannabis for a migraine even if research and studies are yet to conclude on its real benefits for pain.
Do all these mean you should rush and go to a cannabis dispensary to pick up a few strains? No, you shouldn’t. In all cases, everyone must consume marijuana responsibly. And whenever trying new strains or simply deciding to try medical cannabis for a migraine, one must consult a medical marijuana doctor beforehand.
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