Cannabis for Migraines
This is perhaps a day that the medical community and even skeptics would have never seen coming – cannabis & migraines?
The two words isn’t normally clubbed together. It is, after all, recently that we have come to know about the numerous benefits of Cannabis on our body and mind. Even though this is a traditional method of curing migraines, it has only recently come to light as to why exactly cannabis has been used in such a way.
Does Cannabis help in Your Headaches?
It has been estimated that about 30 million people living in the USA are suffering from migraines. It is a common sight to see victims of migraine attacks rushing to hospitals to get their dose of Demerol and Ergotamine injections.
There have been numerous testimonies from patients who have stated that the increased use of marijuana has resulted in lesser severe attacks and have also drastically reduced the side-effects they were exposed to through the plethora of pills.
Even though there are no blinded studies proving how migraines and medical cannabis could have a positive outcome, there has been anecdotal evidence suggesting it may help in suppressing migraine headaches.
The Efficacy of a Marijuana Strain
The Cannabis plant contains about 400 chemicals out of which the main chemical present in the plant is CBD which acts as modulators of our receptors, altering the nervous system.
CBD and THC act on these receptors which are responsible for sensations such as hunger, pain, pleasure, memory, thought and coordination.
Different marijuana strains – CBD Oil may have different effects on symptoms such as headaches and others. There are some advocates who promote the use of different strains for different purposes and also displaying the adverse effect of each strain.
It has been compounded by some experts that since migraines are the results of artery spasms coupled with the over-relaxation of veins, the vascular changes that cannabis may cause can help the migraines to disappear.
Is there a Lack of evidence relating Cannabis and Migraine?
Although it has not been proven that cannabis can directly result in effectively treating migraines, there have been numerous experiments and trials where participants have come out with less severe migraines after consuming marijuana, either through smoking or ingesting it. This is perhaps one of the main reasons why Marijuana is not an FDA approved drug, legitimately being used to cure illnesses such as these.
However, in the state of California, where the use of Medical Cannabis has been given the go-ahead, it has become accepted for its use in migraine headaches. Researchers in universities such as the University of Colorado have tested participants who, after a consistent usage of medical cannabis, have come back with fewer migraine bouts.
Researchers have been extra cautious for a simple reason that marijuana, just like any other drug, can have different effects on different people and hence it is necessary to test the effects of chemicals such as serotonin before affecting it for wide use.
More research needs to be conducted in the field of migraine and medical cannabis in order to fully understand the positive as well as the negative effects of cannabis and migraine, though we can safely say it aids you in living a headache-free life.