Blacks and Asian Americans seem to be less likely than whites to suffer from migraines. The International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) shows that 20.4% of white women, 16.2% of Black women, and 9.2% of Asian American women suffer from migraines. There is a growing body of medical research on the effectiveness of CBD oil when it comes to pain relief, but can CBD oil alleviate headache or migraine symptoms?
What is the difference between a headache and a migraine?
What Is a Headache?
Headaches can cause uncomfortable mild to severe pain, pressure, and aching in your head. Surprisingly, a headache can last up to a week. The most common type of headache, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a tension headache. Anxiety, muscle strain, and stress can cause tension headaches.
What Is a Migraine?
Migraines are intense or severe and often have other symptoms besides head pain (such as nausea and vomiting, seeing spots or light flashes, and sensitivity to light or sound). A migraine often impacts one side of the head but can involve both sides.
The intensity of the headache pain is one way to differentiate a migraine from tension headaches. Migraines cause intense, throbbing pain that makes it difficult to carry out everyday tasks.
According to medical experts, the cause of migraine headaches is intense stimulation to some of the sensitive nerves in the brain. The underlying cause of this stimulation is inflammatory agents released when a migraine occurs.
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How CBD oil works
Because CBD oil has powerful anti-inflammatory (reducing swelling) and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties (from cannabinoids), it may be effective in the treatment of migraine headaches. The analgesic properties of CBD oil may be effective for tension headache relief. CBD oil also has strong anti-nausea effects, which can help alleviate other symptoms of migraine headaches (such as nausea and vomiting). But it’s important to note that research studies report that we need more evidence to prove that CBD oil completely alleviates headaches or migraine headaches.
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Healing Properties of CBD Oil
The healing properties found in CBD oil include:
- Powerful analgesic properties (relieves pain)
- Antiemetic properties (relieves nausea and vomiting)
- Potent anti-inflammatory effects (reduces swelling from inflammation)
Scientific Evidence
Using medical marijuana decreased migraine frequency from nearly 10 per month to only about four per month in a 2016 study. A 2018 study described experimental evidence that cannabinoids are beneficial in treating
migraine headaches, other types of headaches, and chronic (long-term) pain.
Is CBD oil safe?
CBD is a type of THC-free cannabis that is well tolerated and safe for humans. In one study, participants given THC-infused cannabis reported increased heart rates, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms.
CBD oil, however, did not produce psychotic symptoms as it did in the THC -infused cannabis. In research studies, CBD oil is reportedly less controversial and safer for medicinal use than products with THC. A quality CBD oil product does not cause euphoria or a feeling of being high, nor does it impact your mental state.
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The Disadvantages of CBD oil use
Unfortunately, not all CBD products are reputable. Lack of regulation is one of the biggest concerns linked with CBD oil use.
Despite promising medical research on the effectiveness of CBD oil, the FDA has not approved cannabis products, including CBD products, for the treatment of headaches or migraines. This means there is no formal regulation of CBD oil. The dosage and potency may vary from one product to another.
Depending on the manufacturer, CBD products may differ significantly from that of the advertised product. Some CBD products may even contain significant amounts of THC.
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How to spot a low vs. high-quality CBD oil
Keep in mind that many ineffective sources of CBD oil are available around every corner; these CBD knock-off products will do nothing more than cost you money.
If you want to buy high-quality CBD oil, ensure that the product has a Certificate of Analysis (COA) and that a reliable laboratory performs third-party testing. Avoid products from manufacturers who do not provide these details or who use vague package labeling.
