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Migraines and Cannabis


"Taking CBD on a regular basis may reduce, or even eliminate, migraines. If EDS is causing you to have migraines, this can be determined by taking a dose of about 25mg of organic, full-spectrum CBD tincture or capsules twice daily. When I started taking CBD at this dose, my migraines immediately disappeared."

-Dr. Joseph Cohen


Migraine headaches are one of the most common conditions that I see in my medical cannabis practice. In fact, I have been dealing with this affliction for decades, having averaged about two migraines per week. Migraines have a number of potential triggers and many migraine sufferers cannot identify their triggers.


Cannabis, particularly certain THC dominant strains, can be an effective treatment for migraines. CBD, the non-psychoactive cannabinoid that can come from either marijuana or hemp, may actually be able to prevent migraines from occurring. Since all animals produce their own cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) and the cannabis plant produce compounds with similar chemical structure (phytocannabinoids), we are literally wired for this plant. The main purpose of our endocannabinoids is to maintain balance and homeostasis. When something is “out of whack” in our body, we produce our own cannabinoids in order to assist in healing.


Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, actually helps our body produce and maintain its own cannabinoids which, in turn, helps our bodies return to a normal, healthy state. Dr. Ethan Russo, a well-known neurologist and researcher in the field of cannabis medicine, theorized that many of us who suffer from migraines may have a deficiency of our own cannabinoids that he calls “endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome” (EDS). For those of us with EDS, taking CBD on a regular basis may reduce, or even eliminate, migraines. If EDS is causing you to have migraines, this can be determined by taking a dose of about 25mg of organic, full-spectrum CBD tincture or capsules twice daily. When I started taking CBD at this dose, my migraines immediately disappeared.


Since CBD can be produced from hemp, there are no restrictions for its use and you do not even have to obtain a medical cannabis card to acquire hemp-based CBD. We are allowed to distribute CBD from hemp to our patients from our office. Hemp simply means that it contains 0.3% or less THC.


If you are in the process of developing a migraine then you will want to inhale a THC- best with a flower vaporizer. The effects of are almost immediate with inhalation and you want to use it immediately in order to “nip your migraine in the bud”. Durbin Poison or Durbin Haze are excellent strains to vaporize in order decrease the severity of or even knock out a migraine. These strains are high in THC-V which may be responsible for the anti-migraine effect.


Of course, finding and then removing triggers such as food and environmental factors as well as reducing stress, can decrease the incidence of migraines. Sleep apnea can be another cause of migraines. If they tend to occur in the morning and if you snore, I would recommend a sleep study in order to rule out sleep apnea.

I hope that you found this information helpful. Please pass it on to others who may suffer from migraine headaches.


-Dr. Joseph Cohen

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