A migraine is a disease that is often underestimated, but it can significantly worsen the quality of someone’s life. Typically lasting anywhere from 4-40 hours, they can completely ruin a few days. Among many of those who suffer from migraines, women seem to suffer at a higher rate than that of men. Migraine sufferers experience a severe headache, which can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, visual impairment and other symptoms. This is worse during morning and daytime, while exposure to sunlight can be an aggravating factor.
Taking cannabis-derived oils to treat migraines has a long history. There is evidence found in the Ayurvedic medicine, that cannabis can improve the condition of these patients by reducing the headache and accompanying nausea and vomiting.
The doctors who reported the successful use of cannabis in the treatment of headaches include Queen Victoria’s personal doctor, Sir Russell Reynolds. Cannabis at that time was administered orally in the form of an extract and was considered as an effective medicine. With the advent of pharmaceutical drugs in the first half of the 20th century, cannabis use has unfortunately become less popular.
Current research on the use of CBD oil to fight migraines is still limited due to strong regulations but some new studies have shown it has an ability to help reduce chronic pain, including migraines.
A study in 2004 examined the possible contribution of cannabinoid receptors in the prevention of dilatation of certain blood vessels in the brain. Endocannabinoid which resembles anandamide (a chemical substance in the brain) was able to slow the expansion of blood vessels in the dura mater, which cause various substances.
An Italian team of scientists found that the system of endocannabinoids is disrupted in chronic migraines. In patients with migraines, the concentration of endocannabinoids in the cerebrospinal fluid is significantly lower than in healthy people. Therefore, scientists believe that this disorder can contribute to chronic headaches and migraines.
Migraines cause our body to use up our own endocannabinoid reserves to help fight it but some severe migraines can completely wipe our stores of endocannabinoids that cannot be replenished by our body, and thus, the body needs cannabinoids from external sources to create a balance. By knowing that the endocannabinoid system is involved in the development of migraines, one can explain why cannabis is an effective remedy in the treatment.