More than 11 million people in France suffer from migraines, and about two-thirds of them turn to self-medication. More often than not, the intensity of the pain pushes these people to abuse over-the-counter painkillers, which not only aggravates the disease, but also leads to addiction and an escalation towards ever stronger analgesics.
However, there are natural alternatives to these drugs. Among them, CBD oil seems to provide some relief.
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Migraine: symptoms, causes and treatments
Migraine should not be confused with tension headachemore commonly known as "headache". The latter is very common and is characterized by a sensation of pressure all over the skull. Migraines, on the other hand, affect 12% of adults, and have very specific causes and symptoms [1].
What is a migraine?
Migraines are characterized by "pulsating" pain. "pulsatilepain on one side of the skull, in the temple or over the eye. The pain is generally very intense, aggravated by movement. It may be accompanied by digestive symptoms (nausea, vomiting) and/or sensory symptoms (sensitivity to noise, light, odours).
Migraine attacks can last last several hoursand, in 10% of cases, for several consecutive days. Their frequency and intensity vary from one individual to another, but when a person suffers more than 15 attacks/month, he or she is said to have a chronic migraine. Migraines are generally initially episodicand it's the abuse of painkillers that makes it chronic.
Although migraines are benignmigraine is benign, but it does take its toll on sufferers' quality of life. Indeed, during a migraine attack, it's difficult to do anything because of the pain, and the only remedy is to isolate yourself.
What causes it?
Migraine originates from neurovascular the nerves in the vessels covering the brain are abnormally stimulated, causing dilation of the arteries in the meninges. The result is pulsating pain.
This phenomenon is triggered by hyperexcitability of neurons linked to a genetic predisposition modulated by environmental factors that vary from person to person.
Migraine attacks can occur as a result of :
- Consumption of certain foods (chocolate, alcohol, cold meats, tobacco, etc.);
- Prolonged exposure to noisestrong strong odors or light sources intense light sources;
- A change in lifestyle A change in the rhythm of life: sudden relaxation, upset, too much or too little sleep, etc. ;
- A drop in atmospheric pressure before rainy weather ;
And, in the case of menstruating women, the sudden drop in estrogen at the end of the cycle. This is known as a catamenial migraine.
What treatments are available for migraine pain?
To reduce the frequency of migraine attacks, people should avoid exposure to the above-mentioned triggers. However, their occurrence is inevitable, and in this case there is no other recourse than to opt for palliative treatmentmost often consisting of analgesics such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.
Taken at the first sign of an attack, these drugs help relieve pain and shorten its duration. However, they are not effective for everyoneand, after a while, you get used to them an addiction phenomenon.
When the frequency of attacks prevents the person from living normally, more powerful treatments are considered:
- Triptanswhich help reduce the dilation of blood vessels in the brain;
- Anti-epilepticsto reduce neuronal excitability;
- Or antidepressantsas they increase serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter that modulates pain-related nerve messages.
Despite improvements, these drugs also cause numerous side effects, some of them serious.
Can CBD help migraine sufferers?
Before its prohibition in the 60s, cannabis was considered a powerful medicinal plant capable of curing many ailments [2].
Studies into the effectiveness of cannabis against migraines are very encouraging: cannabis oil not only helps to relieve painbut also helps to reduce or even completely the occurrence of attacks. And all without serious side effects or addiction [3].
However, in France, migraine-users do not have legal access to the plant. The question is whether CBD oil (which contains less than 0.3% THC) can offer the same kind of results.
CBD's anti-pain action on migraines
Migraine pain is neuropathic, meaning it arises from a dysfunction of the nervous system.
To relieve them, we need to act on the level of brain chemistryThis is why the drugs recommended for neuropathic pain such as migraine are sometimes the same as those recommended for psychological affliction such as depression.
Antidepressants act on serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter that modulates, among other things pain-related nerve messages.
Although we don't yet understand how, it seems that CBD is also capable of acting on serotonin levels. on serotonin levelslevels in the same way as antidepressants, but without the side effects and risk of addiction [4]. In this sense, taking CBD could relieve the pain caused by migraine. In fact, CBD is used by many to relieve all types of neuropathic pain, as well as depression and anxiety.
CBD to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks?
To date, no study has confirmed or refuted the link between CBD consumption and the frequency of migraine attacks.
However, as we mentioned earlier, migraines are caused by neuronal hyperexcitability, which is also the case with epileptic seizures. And it just so happens that CBD oil (Epidiolex) is used to reduce the frequency and intensity of epileptic seizures [5].
Knowing this, it's reasonable to think that CBD oil could also reduce the excitability of neurons in migraine sufferers, and thus contribute to the reduction of attacks.
How to consume CBD oil for migraines?
CBD oil may not be a miracle cure, however, most of the reviews and feedback we get from our customers reveal that CBD does help to relieve migraine pain.
Here are our buying tips and consumption recommendations if you too would like to try CBD oil for migraines.
Which CBD oil for migraines?
For migraines, we recommend :
- Either for full spectrum CBD oilbecause it contains all the molecules synthesized in cannabis, and despite a lower THC concentration (less than 0.3%), this is the type of oil that most closely reproduces the plant's pharmacological profile;
- Either for our "pain and inflammation" oil, specially formulated to relieve pain. In fact, this oil contains CBD as well as CBG, a cannabinoid known for its pain-relieving effects.
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THC-free 10% CBG and 10% CBD "Pain and Inflammation" oil
29,90 €10% CBG + 10% CBD oil for lasting relief of chronic pain and inflammation. A synergy of cannabinoids to soothe the body, without addiction or psychotropic effects.
✔️ THC-free, non-addictive
🇫🇷 Made in France with French ingredients in our laboratory
🧪 Total traceability: We extract the active ingredients from Hemp ourselves.
💧 10 ml bottle with dosing pipette - around 250 drops for easy, precise use -
CBD Oil 20% Full Spectrum - Nobilis Product
29,90 €Our Full Spectrum 20% CBD oil is a concentrate of nature and French know-how. Derived from hemp grown without GMOs or additives, it contains twice the concentration of cannabidiol as our 10% formula, while retaining all the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids naturally present in the plant.
Thanks to theenhanced entourage effect, this oil promotes a deeper action on stress, body tension and sleep quality.
Its 10 ml format with pipette allows precise, easy dosing, even at high concentrations.
This oil is :
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🇫🇷 Produced in our French laboratory, from hemp extraction to bottling, with full traceability
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🌿 Réalisée à partir de crude de CBD, pour conserver toute la richesse moléculaire du chanvre : CBD, CBG, CBN, THC < 0,3 %, flavonoïdes, terpènes
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✅ Analyzed with every batch by an independent laboratory, to guarantee consistent, uncompromising quality
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In all cases, we recommend starting with a CBD oil oil in low doses (between 5 and 10%). In fact, as we shall see, CBD dosage is progressiveIn fact, as we shall see, CBD dosing is a gradual process, starting with a low dose and increasing according to results.
What dosage?
Since CBD products are not considered to be medicines, there is no official there is no official dosage for them. What's more, the dosage of any product depends on a whole host of factors weight, age, symptom intensity and medical history.
What's more, we're not all equal when it comes to the effects of cannabinoids. Some people are more sensitive than others.
For this reason, we recommend starting with a low-concentration oil in small quantities (3 to 5 drops per day). If no relief is obtained, the dose should be gradually increase the dose (every 5 days) until the desired results are obtained.