Does CBD Help Ease Migraine Symptoms?
CBD has a lot of potential to improve wellness in a lot of ways. Researchers have uncovered some definitive benefits of CBD, but they’re only getting started. CBD has only recently become prevalent in the wellness community, and there’s a lot of work to be done before researchers can establish all of the potentially beneficial uses of CBD.
If you live with migraines, you may be wondering if CBD can be beneficial in helping to manage the symptoms. The answer is complicated: it depends. Here’s what you need to know about CBD and migraines and what the unique factors affecting your migraines could mean to manage your symptoms.
The Endocannabinoid System in Relation to Migraines
The endocannabinoid system is a vast and complex system of cannabinoid receptors throughout most of your body. There are also non-cannabinoid receptors that interact with cannabinoids, like vanilloid receptors, that act as an unofficial secondary system. Every animal has an endocannabinoid system.
Researchers are still attempting to figure out exactly how the endocannabinoid system works. They know that the body creates at least two cannabinoids, called endogenous cannabinoids, and the endocannabinoid system uses them. We don’t know exactly how much of each cannabinoid is produced, how they work, or what level of these cannabinoids is appropriate.
Several prominent cannabinoid researchers suggest that certain conditions could be caused or exacerbated by an insufficient amount of endogenous cannabinoids. Early speculation suggests that migraines and migraine-related conditions may be linked to the endocannabinoid system.
While early research is promising and the theories seem to have a realistic basis, no one can say definitively if this connection exists and how we could effectively utilize it to treat certain related disorders.
This information is sometimes stressed to convey the idea that it is a fact that cannabinoids are a remedy for migraines, but the situation simply isn’t that simple. While people have every reason to remain hopeful that cannabinoids can pose a new avenue for relief, it’s best not to put the cart before the horse. Until there is definitive evidence, it’s best not to leave migraine treatment up to CBD when there are plenty of effective medically recognized migraine treatments.
Direct Studies of CBD in Migraines
There has not yet been a meaningful study conducted to directly assess CBD’s ability to mitigate headaches of any kind. However, there have been studies that focused on cannabis as a whole. CBD was used in conjunction with significant amounts of THC throughout these studies.
Results have been mixed but promising. About 40% of study participants reported a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of their headaches when using whole cannabis. It seems as though whole cannabis only works to relieve certain types of headaches in certain individuals. Its benefits aren’t broad and all-encompassing. That having been said, it performed similarly to a common medication used to mitigate migraine symptoms.
A more complex study worked to identify the effects of different strains of cannabis on headache-related tension, including strains high in CBD. While many respondents reported improved quality of life and a reduction in symptoms following the study, there doesn’t appear to be a difference in outcome between high THC and high CBD strains of cannabis.
Why People with Migraines May Benefit From CBD
CBD is not medically recognized for treating migraines, but it can be a helpful wellness tool for people who live with migraines. CBD can provide holistic support to the body in other ways that may positively impact the wellbeing of people with migraines.
In a roundabout way, CBD provides overall support. If your body needs more support to mitigate the factors that contribute to migraines, CBD can encourage your body to find homeostasis.
The Link Between Migraines and Stress
People with migraines often find themselves in a loop. Stress can cause migraines, migraines cause tension, and tension increases stress, which causes migraines. It’s like an ouroboros that can continue if something doesn’t change.
The most important thing to do is to reduce the amount of stress in your life. Some stress is temporary, while other stress requires you to take action, such as switching jobs.
CBD can help to soothe emotional tension, and many people report that CBD makes them feel calm, limiting the effects of stress on their minds and bodies. If CBD is a valuable tool in your stress-busting arsenal, you should use it.
The Link Between Migraines and Sleep
Sleeping too little or too much can trigger migraines. If you’re chronically oversleeping or having trouble getting enough sleep, you should see your doctor. Your doctor will be able to give you proper advice.
You should only use sleep aids temporarily, and they aren’t a long-term, sustainable method for achieving meaningful sleep. You’ll need to institute sustainable habits to help you relax at night and get to bed.
Many people find that a bedtime ritual helps. Washing up, changing into comfortable pajamas, reading or journaling, and crawling into bed in the same way every night can help your mind and body adjust to the idea that it’s time to go to sleep.
If you need a little extra help unwinding, CBD can become an essential part of that ritual. One study found that 79% of participants who used CBD experienced a reduction in symptoms of stress and tension, and 66% reported improved quality of sleep.
Unlike sleep aids, CBD doesn’t leave you groggy the following day. It doesn’t have any strange side effects, like sleepwalking, that are often reported by people who use sleep medications. CBD is non-habit forming and safe to use long-term.
When using CBD to promote better sleep, keep in mind that it may not work right away. Some people will immediately notice a difference in their sleeping habits, but it commonly takes up to a month for the full wealth of CBD’s effects to become apparent. Add CBD to your bedtime ritual for a few weeks, and over time, you may find that it’s easier to get some much-needed sleep.
If You Have Migraines, Go to the Doctor
If you haven't yet been to a doctor about your migraines, you need to do that. CBD isn’t a replacement for a proper medical examination. Your migraines could be the result of an underlying condition, like an allergy or a vision problem you aren’t aware of. These issues require specific treatment to help migraines subside.
When you’re there, you can ask your doctor about adding CBD to your routine. If your doctor agrees, go for it.
If you’ve already been to a doctor and you do not currently have prescription medication for migraine treatment, you should still seek your doctor’s advice. There’s a fair chance that your doctor will green light CBD use if it helps ease your migraine symptoms.
Peels is All CBD and No THC
One of the reasons people with migraines are hesitant to try CBD is the small amounts of THC that remain in the product. THC can make migraines worse for some people. Some people are also prohibited from using THC products due to their job, the area in which they live, or their preferences.
Peels makes our CBD from orange peels. Since it doesn’t come from hemp, it’s naturally THC-free. We use a proprietary process called cyclic terpene assembly to rearrange the naturally occurring aromatic compounds in orange peels into a bioidentical form of CBD. It works exactly like CBD from the hemp plant, and your body will never know the difference.
If you want to see if CBD will help to ease some of your migraine symptoms, add Peels to your daily ritual. Give it about 30 days to produce a noticeable effect. If it works to improve your quality of life and sense of overall wellness, keep using it.
Summary
CBD is not medically recognized as a form of treatment for migraines, but it may still bring some relief to those who suffer with migraines. CBD can offer a wide variety of benefits but is widely known to help ease stress and tension, which is a major contributing factor to migraines. CBD may also make it easier for you to fall asleep or get better quality sleep, meaning this contributing factor for migraines can also be reduced.
Peels offers THC-free CBD products made from orange peels so you can get the relief you deserve without having to worry.
Sources:
Emerging Role of (Endo)Cannabinoids in Migraine | National Institutes of Health
The Use of Cannabis for Headache Disorders | National Institutes of Health
Stress and Migraine - How to Cope | American Migraine Foundation
Sleep Deprivation and Migraines | Sleep Foundation
Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series | National Institutes of Health