Cannabis for Migraines?
Migraines are a chronic condition for many people, and the pain can be so severe that they frequently become debilitating. If you’ve ever suffered from a migraine, you know how painful they can be, and they’re also typically accompanied by a slew of other uncomfortable to downright miserable symptoms such as nausea and light sensitivity.
In a study at the University of Colorado, 121 people who got regular migraine headaches used marijuana daily to prevent attacks. About 40% of them said the number of migraine headaches they got each month was cut in half.
The patients used different types of cannabis, but they mostly inhaled it to ease a migraine in progress and found that it did help stop the pain. The patients who inhaled or smoked marijuana also said it was easier to control the amount of the drug they took in, and they had fewer negative reactions.
Cannabis has natural compounds called cannabinoids. When you use it, these cannabinoids go into your body and look for the receptors. They change how the receptors work, and they can calm down pain signals. Cannabinoids may also help with nausea, anxiety, muscle spasms, or other health problems.
THC is the cannabinoid in marijuana that gets most of the attention. It’s what makes you feel high or relaxed. But another product made from cannabis called cannabidiol (CBD) doesn’t make you feel intoxicated and may help ease pain.