Long-Term Cannabis Use Reduces Migraine Attack Frequency
Israeli researchers have published the results of a study on the effectiveness of using cannabis to treat migraines. The specialists found that long-term use of cannabis reduces the frequency of headache attacks.
Cannabis Helped Most Patients
The authors surveyed 145 volunteers aged 34 to 54 who had been diagnosed with migraines. Over three years, the volunteers took cannabinoids prescribed by a doctor and then completed several tests. As a result of cannabis use, 61% of participants experienced:
- At least a 50% reduction in the frequency of migraine attacks
- Decreased pain intensity
- Improved sleep
Patients who benefited from cannabis began to use opioid analgesics and triptans less frequently. Therefore, the researchers believe that cannabis can help relieve migraine symptoms and reduce the dosage of anti-migraine medications. According to the scientists, the therapeutic effect of cannabis is due to the plant’s ability to suppress serotonin receptor activity, thereby modulating pain transmission in the pathogenesis of migraines.
Cannabis Outperforms Traditional Medications
A group of European scientists tested cannabis on 127 volunteers suffering from chronic migraines. During the first phase of the trial, participants took a daily mixture containing 19% THC and 9% CBD. The experts recorded a 55% reduction in acute pain when 200 mg of the mixture (19 mg THC and 9 mg CBD) was used. Lower doses were ineffective.
In the second phase of the experiment, over three months, participants received either 25 mg of amitriptyline (an antidepressant used to treat migraines) or 200 mg of the cannabinoid mixture daily. The researchers found that the substances in cannabis were more effective than amitriptyline. Patients who took THC and CBD had 40.4% fewer attacks, and pain intensity was 43.5% lower.
Researchers at the University of Colorado confirmed the findings of their European colleagues. They conducted a study on 121 volunteers diagnosed with migraines and proved that cannabis use reduced the frequency of attacks in 85% of participants, from an average of 10.4 to 4.6 per month. Moreover, 12% of volunteers were able to stop an attack by taking cannabinoids at the very beginning of a migraine episode.