Millions of people around the world suffer from all types of headaches, and migraine is just one of the top complaints among headache sufferers. What is so bad about a migraine is that it can be extremely bothersome. You can’t work. You can’t even go through your usual daily routine.
Are you suffering from a migraine attack? If so, you may have taken medications just to ease the pain despite the known side effects. While effective as a treatment for headaches, some drugs can cause sleepiness, general weakness, dry mouth, and dizziness. Some drugs may even cause weight gain, over time.
Study on cannabis and migraine sufferers
There are more and more studies revealing that cannabis can be reliable for migraine and headache cures, apart from other ailments.
One study explained why cannabis works effectively against a migraine. Cannabinoids found in cannabis effectively binds with the body’s endocannabinoids. These receptors are predominant in the human brain but persons with a migraine have limited levels of these receptors, making them more prone to pain and enlargement of blood vessels. Studies conducted on lab animals reveal that whenever there is a high level of endocannabinoid activity in the brain, pain signals from the brain are fewer.
A prestigious university specializing in Pharmacy studied cannabis and the healing it can offer to people with a migraine. More than a hundred participants who suffered from migraine attacks were given cannabis through ingestion and inhalation. The results were promising.
About 40 percent of the subjects who have a migraine said they have felt better after taking cannabis. Also, the incidence of migraine attacks went down to around 5 as against 10, when cannabis was still out of the picture. In addition, more than 80% of the participants claimed that each passing month of taking cannabis, migraine attacks have declined. Their capacity to work and function as an individual has improved.
It is interesting to note that inhaled cannabis (according to participants) delivered the fastest relief for a migraine versus those taken orally.
Inhaled vs ingested cannabis
Inhaled cannabis is taken through smoking or vaping. Ingesting edible cannabis, while also effective, may not offer faster relief. Moreover, oral cannabis may induce vomiting among migraine sufferers. Even if you smoke or vape cannabis and then throw up eventually, you have already absorbed cannabinoids, components of cannabis that’s critical to migraine treatment. Migraine sufferers who have gastric issues will also fare better with inhaled cannabis.
Dosage
The dosage will vary of course depending on your age, weight, and severity of a migraine but professionals advice to take a very low dosage initially, gradually increasing until you feel relieved. Take note of your symptoms and the point at which they have improved. If your migraine is more of the chronic type, then a higher dosage may offer quick relief.
While cannabis proves to bring relief to migraine sufferers, they also have side effects, as it is with many drugs in the market.
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