How CBD Products Help You Relieve from Migraine

CBD products assist in relieving pain and reducing inflammation. It can also help with migraine due to these effects. This article explains how CBD products help one relieve migraine and headaches.

Headache is an enemy for everyone, and severe ones lead to serious conditions like migraine. Most people get headaches at some point in their lives, and often there is nothing to be scared about. Some primary headaches occur because of the overactivity of pain-sensitive structures in the head. Aside from migraine, other primary headaches include cluster headaches, tension headaches, and TAC (Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia). Individuals experience head pain because of lifestyle factors like stress, skipped meals, sleep deprivation, alcohol, and other reasons. Treating headaches like migraine requires natural, effective medications that don’t cause side effects like headaches. That’s why CBD products appear promising solutions for those dealing with this condition.

How Can You Tell You Have a Migraine?

According to Rees & Sabia (2011), a migraine usually comes with a headache lasting 4-72 hours if the victim is not treated. The frequency of migraine attacks is different for each person. It can occur rarely or attack several times in a week or month. When suffering from a migraine, you will have;

• Pain that pulses or throbs
• Nausea and vomiting
• Painful sensations from both sides of the head, or sometimes one side
• Sensitivity to sound, light, and sometimes touch and smell

Do You Need CBD for All Migraine Stages?

Migraine progresses in four stages, and CBD is required in each.

Stage 1- Prodrome

This stage is about two days before a migraine attack. It comes with subtle changes which serve as a warning, and they include;

• Fluid retention
• Food cravings
• Constipation
• Mood changes
• Increased urination
• Frequent yawning

Aura

Aura may kick in during or before migraines. Hansen et al. (2012) explained that these symptoms are mostly visual and linked to the nervous system. Each change occurs gradually and builds up after several minutes but will not last for more than 1 hour if treated early. Aura’s symptoms include;

• Vision loss
• Difficulty speaking
• Uncomfortable sensations in the leg or arm
• Face numbness

Migraine Attack

At this point, an individual experiences all the symptoms of full migraine, as highlighted earlier. That is nausea and vomiting, throbbing pain in one side/both sides of the head, and sensitivity to sound and light. This stage is the most noticeable because the signs and symptoms last for more days than in the previous stages.

Post-Drome

Migraine attacks usually leave an individual drained and confused. The common symptoms associated with postdrome include dizziness, fatigue, concentration difficulties, and body aches. This phase does not last for too long. It takes 2 days or less to resolve. In the meantime, there’s a lot you can do to alleviate the discomfort. One of the options is taking CBD to manage the migraine hangover. You can also try massages, ice packs, or heating pads.

How CBD Eases Migraine

CBD is among the most active cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant. It can ease pain due to its effects on receptors found in the brain. These receptors are also extended in the endocannabinoid system and help with inflammation and pain throughout the body. CBD products are linked to migraine management due to these effects;

• Easing nausea
• Pain relief
• Reducing inflammation
• Anticonvulsive effects

The Benefits of CBD Products for Migraines

CBD products offer multiple health benefits, and managing migraine is among them. Some consider CBD an essential medicine because of its natural properties that contribute to good health and wellness. However, it’s inappropriate to use cannabidiol as a substitute for medical drugs because CBD is not yet approved as a true drug. The encouraging news is that CBD is accepted as a health supplement, meaning you can still use it to manage health conditions. Baron et al. (2018) stated that migraine sufferers can benefit from CBD and other cannabinoids. Here are some of the outstanding benefits CBD products offer to individuals with migraines;

Addresses Neuropathic Pain

Migraine is usually accompanied by neuropathic pain. CBD is full of pain relief effects which are helpful for migraine sufferers experiencing neck pain, head pain, dizziness, face numbness, and other pain-related symptoms. By releasing anti-neuropathic effects, CBD help individuals living with migraine live a less frustrating and painful life.

Decreases Anxiety

People with migraine are often anxious. That’s because of the cycle of pain and worry, which make their life appear unbearable. CBD is sufficient in easing anxiety. Individuals with migraines can introduce CBD into their morning or night routine to reduce stress and anxiety.

Boosts Mood and Ease Depression

Hegazy & Platnick (2019) explained that CBD is a natural and independent mood booster. Migraine symptoms are unpleasant, and the discomfort they cause can easily make someone in a bad mood all the time. Individuals battling migraines are advised to take CBD regularly to improve their mood. Being irritated and angry at life trigger depression. Individuals with unbearable pain like migraine often cause depression. To avoid feeling depressed and in low spirits, migraine patients should use CBD products frequently to improve their mental, emotional, and physical health.

Stimulates Appetite

Certain migraine medications can cause nausea, vomiting, and food aversions. Staying hungry for too long is associated with headaches. Migraine comes with a sharp headache which will give an individual unbearable pain if the hunger headache is already there. CBD can improve eating habits. Add this natural extract to foods or drinks to stimulate appetite and eat better. This way, you will only have the migraine headache to care about, not the hunger headache.

What Are the Approved Drug Treatments for Migraine?

• Botox treatment
• Over-the-counter pain relief drugs
• Medications that prevent migraine attacks, such as antidepressants, beta-blockers, and anti-seizure
• NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen
• Prescribed migraine pain management medications like nerve blocks, ergots, and triptans

Natural Ways To Manage Migraine

• Apply stress management techniques
• Get high-quality sleep
• Avoid bright lights
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and any diet that triggers migraines

Conclusion

Anyone dealing with migraine needs specific doctor recommendations on the right treatment. Don’t start using CBD products before having a medical talk with your doctor. Taking the right CBD dosage can help you manage migraine symptoms. However, don’t abandon the prescribed migraine medications.

References

Baron, E. P., Lucas, P., Eades, J., & Hogue, O. (2018). Patterns of medicinal cannabis use, strain analysis, and substitution effect among patients with migraine, headache, arthritis, and chronic pain in a medicinal cannabis cohort. The journal of headache and pain, 19(1), 1-28.

Hansen, J. M., Lipton, R. B., Dodick, D. W., Silberstein, S. D., Saper, J. R., Aurora, S. K., ... & Charles, A. (2012). Migraine headache is present in the aura phase: a prospective study. Neurology, 79(20), 2044-2049.

Hegazy, O., & Platnick, H. (2019). Cannabidiol (CBD) for treatment of neurofibromatosis-related pain and concomitant mood disorder: A case report. Cureus, 11(12).

Rees, D. I., & Sabia, J. J. (2011). The effect of migraine headache on educational attainment. Journal of Human Resources, 46(2), 317-332.