Migraines
According to the Migraine Research Foundation, migraines are estimated to affect around 1 billion people worldwide and are the 3rd most prevalent illness in the world.
Unfortunately, the cause and treatment of migraines is something that modern medicine continues to struggle with.
Medical cannabis as an effective alternative treatment option for migraine sufferers is now being supported by both patient testimonials and by modern scientific research.
Medical cannabis can reduce the symptoms associated with migraines and can also be used for preventive care.
Legend has it that Queen Victoria was prescribed medical cannabis by her personal doctor, John Russell Reynolds, for her migraines!
Medical cannabis is an alternative treatment option that is gaining momentum and is becoming more accepted by patients, health practitioners and the overall medical community.
What are Migraines?
Migraines are a complex condition that have a wide variety of symptoms. For many people the main symptom is an excruciatingly painful headache. Other symptoms include disturbed vision, sensitivity to light, sound and smells, nausea and vomiting. Migraine attacks can be very frightening and may result in you having to lie still in a dark quiet room for several hours until the attack subsides or you may have to go to the emergency room to be given powerful medications.
The symptoms will vary from person to person and individuals may have different symptoms during different attacks. Your attacks may differ in length and frequency. Migraine attacks usually last from 4 to 72 hours and most people are free from symptoms between attacks. Migraine can have an enormous impact on your work, family and social lives.
Many people believe that migraines are just a really bad headache, unfortunately this is not the case.
Migraines come in a variety of different forms and have many different neurological symptoms associated with them. Often, pain is the least concerning symptom of a migraine attack.
There are a wide range of symptoms associated with migraine sufferers and they are difficult to completely understand for most people, unless you are the person suffering from migraines. Modern medicine and western based health solutions have proven ineffective for many patients and many people are turning to alternative treatment approaches like medical cannabis therapy.
Can Medical Marijuana Help Migraine Sufferers?
Endocannabinoid deficiency has been theorized as a possible cause for migraine and other chronic pain disorders, including chronic migraine and medication overuse headache.
Based on studies currently available, as well as cannabis patient testimonials, medical cannabis looks promising for the overall treatment and prevention of migraine headaches.
One study that took place from January 2010 to September 2014 at two medical marijuana specialty clinics in Colorado had impressive results. The following was found:
- 40% of patients reported positive effects
- 12% of patients stated complete elimination of symptoms when consuming cannabis at headache onset
- 20% of patients reported an average of 56% headache occurrence reduction
- Only 12% of patients reported any negative effects (NOTE: Negative effects were feelings of being “high” and all negative effects reported were from cannabis edibles.)
Please note that there is no mention of what strains were consumed by those participating in the study.
Another study, from Italy, shows positive results as well:
We were able to demonstrate that cannabinoids are an alternative to established treatments in migraine prevention. That said, they are only suited for use in the acute treatment of cluster headaches in patients with a history of migraine from childhood on.
- Dr. Maria Nicolodi, The Interuniversity Center in Italy (via Medical News Today)
The same study also shows amazing results in terms of pain reduction:
When analysing use in the treatment of acute pain, the researchers came across an interesting phenomenon: cannabinoids reduced pain intensity among migraine patients by 43.5%.
- Cannabinoids Suitable for Migraine Prevention, www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com
All of these studies provide great scientific information on the effectiveness of medical cannabis on migraine symptoms and prevention. Here at Kanteeva we hope to see many more of these types of studies being published in the near future!
We are always looking for new information, current scientific studies and patient testimonials to include within our Kanteeva articles.
Is Medical Marijuana more Effective than Current Medications?
Results showed that THC-CBD was slightly better at reducing the frequency of migraine attacks than the commonly prescribed med (40.4 % versus 40.1%, respectively). And the THC-CBD drug was very effective at reducing migraine pain, cutting it by 43.5%.
The above study showed the effectiveness of medical cannabis for treating migraines and cluster headaches in comparison to some of the most common prescription medications currently used.
The results showed that cannabis was slightly better at preventing migraine attacks.
This being said, it is important to look at the side effects of many of the top prescribed migraine medications on the market, as well as what medical cannabis strains and consumption methods were being used in the study. Many times scientific studies use government grown marijuana that is usually of poor quality, contains lower levels of cannabinoids and is not strain specific.
For many patients, doctors will often prescribe antipsychotic medications to “treat” their migraine symptoms . At best, many of these medications leave patients with side effects such as constipation or dry mouth. For an unfortunate minority, the side effects can be as severe as the development of neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a serious condition with symptoms of high fever and muscle stiffness that is only treatable if discovered early.
What Patients are Saying about Cannabis for Migraines
Scientific and medical data on migraines and marijuana is challenging to find due to the lack of published scientific studies and overall transparency, so we here at Kanteeva have completed a significant amount of anecdotal research that looks into what patients have been saying about the effectiveness of medical cannabis in the treatment of their migraine symptoms.
Overall, it appears that many people are finding relief by using medical cannabis for many of their symptoms related to migraines.
We even have a team member here at Kanteeva that swears by medical cannabis to prevent and help treat his migraine symptoms.
He was prescribed everything from prozac to morphine by his doctor with no success, until the realization that the only time he was not suffering from these debilitating migraine attacks was when he was using cannabis recreationally as a young adult! Cannabis is the only treatment option that works for this Kanteeva team member and he reports little or no negative side effects occur when his medical cannabis is properly administered and consumed.
What are the Best Marijuana Strains for Migraine Headaches?
When it comes to finding the best cannabis strains for treating your migraine symptoms, there are a couple of things to focus on.
First, when choosing your dosage, it is very important to start slowly and increase your dose over time. Too much THC can actually cause headaches as a side effect of overconsumption and if you suffer from migraines, the overconsumption of THC may trigger your migraine symptoms.
Your healthcare provider(s) may be able to help you determine what your ideal dosage should be and help you better manage your migraine symptoms and medical cannabis therapy options.
Secondly, many members of the medical cannabis community claim that they have had the most success using two different cannabis strains to treat their migraine symptoms.
This is a common thread among the medical cannabis community and one of our Kanteeva team members who suffers from migraines also attests to this two strain type approach.
According to both the medical cannabis community and our Kanteeva team member, they have found success by consuming their medical cannabis in the following way:
- For long term reduction in headache occurrence it seems that the CBD content in strains is very important
- For initial treatment regimens, as well as breakthrough headaches and migraine attacks, THC seems to be the most effective cannabinoid as many people say it reduces the pain associated with migraines
While you can share the guidelines above with your healthcare provider(s), you should never begin, or change, your own medical cannabis regimen before first consulting with a medical professional.
We here at Kanteeva have taken this into account and have researched cannabis strains for both the reduction of migraine occurrence and the treatment of symptoms that occur when migraine attacks happen.
We base these strain recommendations on testimonials from medical cannabis community members, anecdotal evidence, scientific research and a variety of other factors like accessibility.
What are the Best Cannabis Strains for Preventing Migraines?
Strains that are high in CBD are considered better at helping prevent migraines from occurring. It is important to note that many medical cannabis community members claim that daily consumption of these medical cannabis strains are crucial for the preventative treatment of migraines. Medical cannabis should be consumed in the same way that prescription medication is used, that is why it is so important to consult a medical practitioner when creating a medical cannabis therapy regimen. Many people claim that consuming these medical cannabis strains daily or every other day helps to decrease the frequency of their migraine headaches.
Before you begin, or alter, your medical cannabis regimen, please take the time to discuss your options with your healthcare provider(s).
VCDC
VCDC is a 70/30 Indica Dominant Hybrid strain that has low levels of THC and very high levels of CBD. Many patients have said that the low amount of THC leaves them feeling relaxed and the very high amount of CBD helps to prevent their migraine headaches.
Charlotte’s Web
This is a Sativa Dominant Hybrid strain that has almost no THC and very high amounts of CBD. Many medical cannabis patients have said that Charlotte’s Web is an ideal strain for reducing the occurrence of their migraines. They also said that because of its almost non-existent THC content, Charlotte’s Web is ineffective for treating the pain associated with the onset of a migraine attack.
Cannatonic
This is a 50/50 strain that is very popular among the medical cannabis community. Many patients state that they have successfully used the Cannatonic strain for migraine prevention. Just like CBD Critical Cure, Cannatonic has high amounts of CBD with low amounts of THC.
What are the Best Cannabis Strains for Breakthrough Migraine Symptoms?
While the strains listed above are often considered to be the best at preventing migraines, migraine headaches, or attacks, will most likely still occur.
For example, the Kanteeva team member mentioned above stated:
Using just a little bit of a strain like Charlotte’s Web or Cannatonic in the mornings is usually enough to keep my migraines at bay. By doing this, I’ve went from having a severe migraine two or three times a week to only having one every month or two months.
When I do end up getting a migraine though, I can use a very high THC strain like Pineapple Express or Green Crack during the day when I have things to do, or if I’m home relaxing at the end of the day, my go to strain is Granddaddy Purps. Grandaddy Purps seems to work the best for my breakthrough headaches, but it also makes me sleepy and lethargic.
Many medical cannabis community members had similar stories to share and most agree that while cannabis can help them push through the day with a migraine, it does not eliminate the headache altogether. Instead, they report having feelings like they still have some migraine symptoms but most agree their pain is gone and they are able to still things accomplished during the day and are not “trapped in bed” as many people claim to be when they are not able to use their breakthrough headache strains.
Here are the Top Five strains that we have researched at Kanteeva for the treatment of breakthrough migraine symptoms.
Granddaddy Purps
With an average THC content of 21%, this Indica Dominant Hybrid is a popular choice for many patients in the medical cannabis community who are trying to find pain relief. As a result of its powerful sedative effects and physical high, this strain is best consumed during evening hours and should not be considered for daytime use.
Green Crack (Green Cush)
This Sativa Dominant Hybrid is one strain that many medical cannabis community members swear by as a great option for treating the pain associated with breakthrough migraines during the day. It has an average THC content of 17% and many users report that it creates a high that allows you to be focused, creative, energetic and most importantly, pain free.
Pineapple Express
This slightly Sativa Dominant Hybrid is a popular choice among the medical cannabis community for tension headaches and the pain of breakthrough migraines during the daytime. With an average of 12%-17% THC, many users report that Pineapple Express delivers energetic pain relief while providing mental clarity and focus.
Durban Poison
This pure 100% Sativa landrace is a favourite among medical cannabis community members for alleviating the symptoms associated with breakthrough migraines during the daytime. With an average THC content of 16%-20%, this strain delivers effects that many cannabis community members refer to as energetic, focused and euphoric pain relief.
Cherry Pie
With both of its parent strains making this list (Grandaddy Purps and Durban Poison), it only makes sense that Cherry Pie has developed a reputation among the medical cannabis community for the relief of breakthrough migraines. With THC levels that can be as high as 23%, and community members saying that it is their new favorite strain for pain relief, Cherry Pie is reported to deliver the potent pain relief of Grandaddy Purps with the focused energy of Durban Poison. Cherry Pie is one strain that you may want to try for relief from the symptoms of breakthrough headaches. It is also a solid option for a medical cannabis strain that can be used both at night or during the day.
While these strains are our top Kanteeva picks for people suffering with migraines, it is very important to note that every individual is unique and will respond to medical cannabis differently.
We invite you to visit our Strain Management Article to read more about managing specific medical cannabis strains to fit with your personal lifestyle and ailment(s).
Strain management is how we combat our ailments by using the cannabis strains that work best for us at the proper times and in the right context.
- Kanteeva Founder
For this reason, it is important that you try different medical cannabis strains in order to discover the ones that work best for you.
If you would like to learn more information on the many different medical cannabis strains currently available, we invite you to explore our Kanteeva Strain Directory.
What About Where Medical Cannabis is Illegal?
For people living in areas where medical cannabis is illegal, you can talk to your doctor about the possibility of trying CBD Oil.
CBD products are legal in many countries because they typically contain trace amounts of THC, which is the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
After speaking with your health practitioner about these types of products as being a potential treatment option, you may be able to order these products online.
Final Thoughts
Migraines are a disorder that can be disabling to many people who suffer from them. While there are only a few scientific studies available that show how medical cannabis can help migraine sufferers, the consensus across multiple migraine community websites is that many users have found relief using medical cannabis.
Are you new to medical cannabis? Explore this article before you start your journey.
We Want To Hear From You!
Have you found migraine relief from using medical cannabis? If so, we would love to hear from you! Please help us spread the word about the amazing benefits that medical cannabis patients are finding all over the world.
With your help, thousands of others could finally find relief by taking advantage the amazing benefits that medical cannabis has to offer.
Please share your stories, comments, and questions below.
If you are a medical cannabis user, please also mention what strain has been effective at helping you find relief.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!
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