Study Shows Cannabis Provides Relief to 9 out of 10 Migraine Patients
Sep 17th 2020
Study Shows Cannabis Provides Relief to 9 out of 10 Migraine Patients
A study conducted by researchers at the University of New Mexico has determined that 9/10 patients experienced migraines reported some form of relief as a result of cannabis use. The Journal of integrative medicine published an article on this throughout the current month in which researchers tracked the effects of herbal cannabis on 699 migraine sufferers over the course of 32 months. Participants in the study were self-administering cannabis at home and reported the symptoms of the condition via a smartphone application. With the intensity of the pain related to the migraine as well as the headache pain measured on a scale of 0 to 10, the patient experienced a significant improvement after switching over to a cannabis-based therapy.
According to current results from multiple studies like this one the cannabis flower can be particularly effective at reducing the symptoms of a headache and migraine-related pain intensity. Behavioral modifications as well as regularly using cannabis can be an effective way to manage the symptoms of migraines without the use of conventional pharmaceuticals.
Within two hours of cannabis inhalation, 94% of users suggested that they saw relief in their symptoms. Most of the participants were able to see a 3.3 point of relief on the 10 point scale for their symptoms. Varieties of cannabis that have a THC content of 10% or higher were also found to be the most effective at relieving migraine symptoms.
With relation to the study, males often found great relief than females and younger patients would experience a greater form of relief when compared to older patients. The dried cannabis flower was an effective treatment and an excellent solution for people that had been using pharmaceutical means to manage their symptoms.
The Entourage Effecting Cannabis Use
We are finding encouraging evidence that there are components of the cannabis plant that often go beyond THC which are beneficial for use with improving the symptoms of migraines. It is a whole spectrum cannabis product that’s providing relief. With thousands of different cannabis strains, there are various chemotypes that can be found in a variety of strains that have been found to offer improvements in treating migraines specifically.
Federal cannabis policy will need to change in order for future studies to take place on the ideal chemotype for migraine relief. What is known is that the reduction in inflammation as well as the pain reduction effects of cannabis can be extremely useful in managing the symptoms of migraine over regular use. Having access to this critical research could allow many people to get off of pharmaceutical means for managing their migraines and to develop a treatment plan for those that would like to access a natural alternative for treating their pain.
The problem with many of the pharmaceutical methods for managing pain in migraines is that it will often cause other side effects. Migraine medications like Triptans have people experiencing ongoing dizziness, drowsiness, numbness, and more. Overuse of medication can also lead to an increase in the frequency of migraines as the dependence on the medication grows. Rather than leaving a person stuck on these types of medications for years with multiple side effects than the chance that their headaches could worsen over time, cannabis-based products could offer ongoing relief and improvements.
It will be interesting to see how research continues into these items and if we are able to see a difference in the long term effects of migraines as well as the ideal strain type that people should be seeking for migraine support. Contact us today for the best medical marijuana to help with your migraines.