The question on a lot of people’s minds even after the legalization of marijuana in all these states is whether or not there are any legitimate medicinal applications of cannabis. To support this today, we will be diving deep into the world of Medical marijuana and migraines.

In November 2019, the Journal of Pain found that there was a significant reduction in the symptoms and the recurrences of migraines in people who are frequent users of cannabis. The research came to the conclusion that migraine severity was reduced by almost 50%.

Understanding Migraines

Migraines are more than just a simple headache. There are many facets to this complex issue. Some symptoms are

• Disturbed vision
• Nausea and vomiting
• Disorientation
• Painful Headaches
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Problems with coordination

To make matters worse, one or more of these symptoms can stay on for hours at times, even for days. In severe cases, the symptoms can cause loss of consciousness and even reversible paralysis. There are a variety of internal and external factors that can trigger migraines. Often a combination of factors is to blame. There are also a few people who have a genetic predisposition for migraines due to the presence of abnormal cells in the brain stem.

Medical Cannabis As A Form Of Relief

Research into cannabis is difficult due to its continued substance classification. Large scale placebo-controlled and random studies are still required to understand the full scope of cannabis as a migraine treatment.

All studies that currently exist are limited to case studies, anecdotal reports, and surveys. But, one leading benefit of cannabis in pain management. This is because of the presence of the cannabinoid CBD.

CBD is famous for its analgesic properties that extend to the reduction of a person’s dependence on opiates as well.

Other effects of cannabis are helping people sleep, stimulating their appetite, and assisting in the management of anxiety and mood levels.

People suffering from migraines can experience pain, nausea, and vomiting at often unmanageable levels. Cannabis, in theory, should be able to help out with all these symptoms because of its anti-emetic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving properties that are possessed by its cannabinoids, particularly THC and CBD.

Now we will go back to the study mentioned at the beginning of this article to understand how much does cannabis help people suffering from migraines.

Pain Management

The study states that people who suffer from severe headaches found that they reduce after the administration of cannabis. This is a significant breakthrough as it is next to impossible to treat the pain once it has begun. Nothing available on the standard market even comes close to easing the severity of the pain.

The study indicates that cannabis has the capability to ease the pain even in the worst cases.

Furthermore, it also stated that the effectiveness of cannabis was not dependent on the strain used or even the THC: CBD ratio or even most surprisingly the dosage. Cannabis reduced the severity regardless of what kind, type, or dosage it was. This indicates there are more factors in play other than the usual.

Concentrates Reign Supreme 

Another strange finding of the same study was that the people who decided that they would smoke the flower after a point of time required an increase in dosage for the effects to set in. This was in contrast to the people smoking cannabis concentrates. They found their necessary effective dosage actually decreased over time.

The explanation offered for this was that the flower has phytocannabinoids and terpenes that occur in reduced form in concentrates. This also implies that the absence of these compounds is good as they might be blocking the chemical responsible for the treatment of migraines.

So, the difference between users isn’t on the basis of the development of tolerance to cannabis but rather the differential dialing-in process that exists between the two forms.

Final Thoughts

Does this imply all migraine users should rush to their nearest dispensary and start using cannabis?

Well, no. At least not yet. There are certain things you still need to keep in mind. A medical marijuana card in California is not a necessity, but individual states still allow only medical users legal access. So, depending on where you live, you need to get one of those.

There are all the heated debates and controversial headlines that can send the best of us into a ditzy.

But, above all, there is a glaring lack of research. We still have no idea about the long term effects of cannabis. 

The research is growing at a steady pace. We might still be the infancy stage, but results do look promising. Once you have had a consultation with your doctor, only then use marijuana for a healthier, happier life.