Are Migraine Sufferers Turning to CBD?

Anyone who has ever experienced a migraine knows that it’s a feeling that they wouldn’t wish on their worst enemy.  Migraines are particularly crippling headaches that can seriously interfere with a person’s ability to function.  Even worse, many people experience chronic migraines, which means that their quality of life is severely reduced because of the fact that this pain occurs frequently.

Migraines are notoriously difficult to treat, and many doctors don’t offer patients much help when they complain of frequent migraines.  Sure, there are pain medications out there, but no one wants to take those too frequently as they can lead to serious side effects.  Well, interestingly, research shows that CBD may be able to help treat and prevent migraines while alleviating certain other ailments that may contribute to migraines. 

CBD is a hemp-based compound that works directly with cannabinoid receptors in the body via the body’s endocannabinoid system.  CBD is natural and nontoxic, meaning that people can take it daily if they wish without fear of addiction or toxic effects.  Lots of research has been done on treating pain using CBD, which makes it a highly promising treatment for migraines.

What is a Migraine?

A migraine is a type of headache that’s known for being extremely severe.  It causes throbbing pain that can radiate to other areas of the head.  Migraines are different from tension headaches and other types of headaches in that they tend to cause other severe symptoms as well, and that they offer warning signs before the pain becomes intense.

What Causes a Migraine?

Migraines can be caused by a variety of factors, although many people struggle to pinpoint the exact cause. 

• Severe stress is known to be a common migraine trigger, as well as certain foods and drinks.
• Many women experience migraines as a result of sudden hormonal changes that occur during their menstrual cycles.
• Migraines can also be a symptom of an underlying illness.

What are the Symptoms of a Migraine?

The main symptom of a migraine is intense, throbbing pain on one part of the head that radiates.  Also, it’s typical for a person to experience sensitivity to light and sound during a migraine episode.  Other symptoms include dizziness, vision problems, nausea, cognitive difficulties and trouble with speech.

How is a Migraine Usually Treated?

Migraines are unpredictable in nature.  They tend to develop suddenly at irregular times.  This is one of the reasons why treating migraines is so difficult.  To complicate matters further, it can be very difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of a migraine.

However, most doctors will recommend or prescribe pain medications to a person who is experiencing migraines.  Depending on the frequency at which a person experiences migraines, the doctor may recommend that the medication is taken only as needed, or taken daily as a preventative measure.  The strength of the pain medication depends on the severity of the migraines themselves.  In rare cases, opioid drugs may be prescribed, but these are habit-forming and come with a host of side effects.

Can Migraines Be Dangerous?

Migraines can be dangerous if a person is unable to rest during an episode.  For instance, if a migraine comes on while a person is driving, it puts them at risk of getting into an accident due to the way in which the pain associated with a migraine interferes with cognitive abilities.  Also, migraines can be dangerous if they are a symptom of an undiagnosed illness.

Can CBD Help with Migraines?

Cannabidiol may be able to help with migraines thanks to its unique chemical composition.  For one thing, CBD works with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) that’s responsible for helping the body achieve homeostasis.  Cannabinoid receptors are found throughout the body, and they require cannabinoids so that various bodily systems and processes can be regulated.  The endocannabinoid system sends cannabinoids to these receptors so that healing can occur.

The ECS sems to control processes like pain tolerance and stress levels, hence why taking CBD may be able to correct the underlying cause of the migraines.  In fact, people have been taking CBD for headache pain for centuries.  Now science has given us insight into why this compound seems to be so effective.

CBD has been found by researchers to be a very unique pain reliever.  This compound boasts both analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties in high volumes. 

• Anti-inflammatories calm inflammation that can contribute to migraine pain.
• Analgesics actually disrupt receptors in the brain that receive pain signals from the nervous system. In other words, analgesics can prevent the brain from perceiving pain.

Cannabinol seems to have the potential to provide profound pain-relieving effects in a natural way.  As of now, there are no known serious side effects associated with daily CBD consumption.  This is good news for people who want to treat their ailments without having to use heavy-duty drugs.

Also, worth pointing out that cannabidiol is known for its potential to help with stress and anxiety.  These are  two conditions that may contribute to or worsen migraines.  CBD seems to have unique sedative-like effects thanks to its ability to regulate cortisol production in the brain, helping a person feel calm and collected in moments of stress.  If stress is causing your migraines, you may want to try taking CBD as a way to manage your stress levels.

How to Take CBD For Migraines

Migraine headaches can be extremely debilitating, and many people who get them live in fear, never knowing when the next episode will suddenly come on.  Fortunately, there might be a natural way to possibly treat and prevent migraines, and that’s by taking CBD regularly.  By now, enough research has been conducted to display how CBD has the strong potential to battle migraines in ways that few other treatments can.

So, If you want to take CBD for your migraine issues, there are two ways that you can go about it.  One is by taking it as a preventative, and the other way is taking it as needed.

• To take it as a preventative, we recommend taking CBD daily. CBD can build up in the body which makes it more effective over time.  So, we suggest either NAM Wellness 1000mg CBD Oil or NAM Wellness CBD Gummies 25mg.
• Taking CBD as needed can be done in addition to the daily preventative dose. When you feel a migraine coming on, you can take a regular dose of CBD in an effort to stop it immediately.  For this approach, we suggest vaping CBD oil or even smoking CBD Flower (i.e., pre-rolls, loose buds in a pipe, etc.) for the best results.  This is because when CBD is vaped or smoked, it reaches the brain at a quicker rate, so it can provide effects within minutes.

The goal, of course, is to find the most high-quality CBD possible, as quality can vary.  That’s why you need to opt for a brand like NAM Wellness who’s known for crafting exceptional CBD products, and that has great reviews from other users.

PLEASE NOTE: Before taking CBD for migraines, it is best to speak with your doctor first.  Even though they have access to your medical history, they still need to be aware of anything that you’re taking as a treatment for an ailment.