Headaches are not always much concerning because a few OTC medications are good enough to keep it under control. Everyone experiences headaches and learns to live with it because it is something that becomes a part of our lives. However, it might not always be right to take headaches lightly especially if you experience frequent and prolonged bouts that can affect your daily activities and affect normal life. Severe headaches are signs of migraines that need proper treatment for providing relief first and then eradicating it. Headaches usually trigger from stress or allergy, but migraines are different. Migraines last much longer than regular headaches and can last for any duration of 4 to 72 hours. The effects can be so severe that it could completely render you immobile because even the most innocuous activity could aggravate the pain.
Dealing with migraines
The standard way to deal with migraines is to take painkillers that can provide temporary relief, but you have to accept the side effects that come with it. If you are looking for long-term relief from migraine without any side effects, then you have to fall back upon Cannabidiol or CBD, the medical marijuana that can work wonders in curing pain. CBD is a natural compound found in cannabis and hemp that has proven record of coming up very fast as an alternative medicine for many health conditions including migraines. The CBD reviewer is an online store for CBD products, and you can buy the product of your choice for seeking relief from a migraine. To know more about the use of CBD in the treatment of migraines, have the patience of going through the remaining part of this article.
The verdict from researchers
That CBD is effective in pain management is a fact backed by numerous studies conducted across the world. Since CBD can cure pain, it is natural to expect that it should be useful for providing relief from migraines. Although there are not many research results available to support this claim, some laboratory studies have shown that it works to mitigate the acute pain and discomfort arising from migraines.
An interesting study in 2017 involved a group of 26 people suffering from a migraine who were used to a drug regimen comprising of Ibuprofen and Nabilone. The group was administered the usual drugs together with oral cannabis, and the study lasted for six months. Each campaign consisted of a combination of a standard medicine along with cannabis and lasted for eight weeks with a gap of eight weeks in between when changing the combination. At the end of the study, participants reported a much-improved quality of life with a considerable reduction in the bouts of a migraine and it is associated discomfort and pain that happened from using a combination of Nabilone and cannabis. However, what would be useful had the researchers used cannabis alone is not available from this study.
More research is necessary
Another study of 2016 to assess the action of medical marijuana on migraines comprised of surveying a group of 48 people who were administered cannabis. The result showed that 40 percent of the respondents experienced fewer bouts of migraines. However, the associated side effects like drowsiness and the inability to ascertain the right dose of cannabis prevented researchers from arriving at a conclusive decision about the outcome.
However, the studies were on cannabis or medical marijuana and not CBD exclusively. This means that it requires further studies to establish the effectiveness of CBD in treating migraines. Carrying out clinical trials on humans is also necessary to assess correctly the potential benefits of CBD for those suffering from migraines.
CBD for migraine relief – how to use it
The medicinal use of cannabis has a history of 3,000 years, and it is not anything new even though there is a debate raging about its use in modern medicine. Issues of legalities regarding the use of cannabis are also the subject of debate although CBD that does not have any psychoactive agent and is a legal compound for medicinal and private use in all the 50 states of the US.
CBD oil is the most popular variety of cannabis that has the least side effects when taken orally, mostly in the form of capsules. It is also possible to eat food infused with CBD, or you can use a dropper to pour a few drops of oil under the tongue. Another method of ingesting CBD oil is by vaping, and this is especially beneficial for those experiencing migraines. Vaping makes the compound travel quickly through the bloodstream and accelerates the action that provides quick relief, according to the experts at the National Cancer Institute.
In the absence of any formal dosage for using CBD for migraines, a dose of anything between 2.5 to 20 mg per day would be suitable for the treatment of migraines. You may have to try out different dosages before finalizing what suits you best. Begin with the smallest dose if you are new to CBD oil and then gradually increase but do not take the risk of trying it in the reverse order.
The working modality of CBD
CBD has the affinity to interact with the cells in the brain as well as the nervous system, and it works excellently with CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. Although much of the interaction between CBD and the receptors remain unexplained and needs more research for understanding, some signs point to the fact that CBD influences the immune system of the body. CBD has the capability of preventing the metabolism of anandamide, a compound that is responsible for regulating pain in the body. The feelings of pain could reduce by increasing the level of anandamides in the bloodstream. CBD is high in antioxidants and an excellent anti-inflammatory agent.
That CBD is a better choice over the OTC medicines for managing migraines is a belief that is fast gaining ground. And that the side effects are minimal makes it an excellent choice to seek relief from migraines.
