Migraine attacks go beyond the typical stress- or allergy-related headache and can last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours, making even the most mundane activities, such as moving or being around noise and light completely impossible!
The Migraine does not discriminate. In South Africa, it is estimated that 25 million working days are lost each year due to migraine. Due to this, nearly 9 million people fear they could lose their jobs because of their condition.
Migraines are not well understood, and treatment options are either focused on preventing headaches, or on relieving the pain when headaches occur. Many people rely on over-the-counter pain relievers for migraine relief, but there are many other methods for the treatment of migraines. These can range from lifestyle changes to botox injections and opioid medications.
This is where cannabidiol (CBD) may come in. CBD is one of the many active compounds found in the cannabis plant and it is growing in popularity as a way to naturally treat numerous medical conditions.
From 1842 to 1942, doctors preferred cannabis over other types of treatments for severe headaches and physicians frequently used preparations derived from the cannabis plant to treat migraines. CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, and that may indirectly help with pain by dealing with its cause. In addition, some researchers have suggested that CBD could be used to counteract some of the vascular phenomena that are associated with migraines.
The research on using CBD for pain, in general, is more robust and has shown that CBD increases levels of the neurotransmitters glutamate and serotonin. These are both thought to play a role in pain regulation.
Finally, there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence from people who use CBD to treat their migraines. Some chronic migraine sufferers say they’ve seen a substantial reduction in their headaches.
