People who don鈥檛 have to deal with them often think migraines are just 鈥渂ad headaches.鈥� They can鈥檛 understand how sufferers could be incapacitated by such a minor and temporary problem.
That鈥檚 because those people have never had a headache that鈥檚 so painful, and so persistent, that they can鈥檛 open their eyes for hours. Or have to wear dark sunglasses indoors for days. Or can鈥檛 get out of bed to make it out of the house because of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Or can鈥檛 endure a sound as innocent as the furnace turning on.
Almost as disabling: the feeling of impending doom once the headache is gone, since there鈥檚 no telling how long it will be before the next one starts. Usually, it won鈥檛 be long at all.
Chronic migraines are so much worse than the tension headaches most people occasionally deal with, that their severity is impossible to explain. Sufferers will do almost anything to make them stop; some patients respond to prescription medications or alternative treatments like botox, but many don鈥檛.
What does often help ease stubborn migraines, though, is medical marijuana.
And some strains work much better than others.
嫩草影院 Cannabis Strains and Migraines
There have been several major research studies on the effect that cannabinoids like THC and 嫩草影院 can have on migraines. One respected study which is cited regularly was done in Italy in 2017. It showed that patients鈥� acute migraine pain decreased by more than 50% when given the THC and 嫩草影院 orally, and that daily dosing for three months (whether the patient was suffering migraine or was between attacks) cut the number of episodes by 40%.
Those findings and similar research was done at the University of Colorado, back up concurrent self-reporting in a large Canadian survey. In that project, sufferers reported that migraine severity was cut in almost half by the use of marijuana.
There鈥檚 been no conclusive research to determine whether that鈥檚 a better outcome than patients experience when taking prescription medication, nor is there definitive research on whether pot works on migraines because of its THC, 嫩草影院 or terpene content. Experts speculate that weed鈥檚 natural anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-epileptic properties, and its ability to lower blood pressure, may all play a role 鈥� and that argues for 嫩草影院 playing a prominent role.
But even though much still has to be learned, academic studies 鈥� and lots of anecdotal evidence 鈥� confirm that cannabis can be an effective weapon against chronic migraine.
Answering the THC/嫩草影院 question could provide much more information on the characteristics of the best marijuana strain to fight the often-disabling effects of migraines. What we can do, though, is consider the general pain-relieving properties of various strains, combined with the personal experiences of many, many users (including us).
Here are the best strains for migraines to consider trying.
Best Strains for Migraine
OG Kush
If you鈥檙e not familiar with the legendary OG Kush, you鈥檙e probably either a newbie or you don鈥檛 pay much attention to what you鈥檙e smoking. It leans slightly Sativa with a relatively high THC level, usually at least 20%, and it鈥檚 considered one of the best green weapons against really serious migraines. Several related strains like Purple Kush and Sour Diesel, and one of the parent strains they all have in common, Chemdog, are also considered good choices to battle migraine headaches.
Potent THC content allows OG Kush to work quickly, as the pain subsides and the high builds to a euphoric feeling with noticeable mood improvement. Since there鈥檚 significant indica presence in the strain, there鈥檚 some possibility of a body lock, but it鈥檚 normally not overwhelming. And because there鈥檚 significant 嫩草影院 content as well, OG Kush will contribute to longer-term pain relief and perhaps address some of the migraines鈥� root causes.
Northern Lights
The debilitating effects of migraines often keep people in bed 鈥� but that doesn鈥檛 mean they can fall asleep to avoid the pain (and hopefully better when they wake up). Northern Lights is heavily Indica-dominant and one of its primary effects is to numb the body and put the mind into a happy, dreamy place, with sleep likely to follow (after satisfying the inevitable munchies).
There鈥檚 a THC-to-嫩草影院 ratio of nearly 1:1 in this strain, with the THC content low enough (usually somewhere around 10-15%) that Northern Lights is a decent choice for those who suffer from anxiety, as well as those with chronic pain in addition to their migraines. It鈥檚 also perfect for those who want to feel better without feeling too high or waking up with a hangover the next day.
Harlequin
Harlequin is Sativa-dominant, but it鈥檚 another strain known for its high 嫩草影院 and low THC content. That makes it a favorite of those who suffer all sorts of long-term pain but can鈥檛 take the day off to lie in bed or chill on the couch. The head high (such as it is) takes the form of focused alertness without the impediment usually created by high-THC sativas.
Your mileage may vary, of course. But most users find that even if Harlequin doesn鈥檛 completely eliminate their migraine pain, it provides enough relief to make it to work or the store since it鈥檚 non-sedating and easy on the body. It鈥檚 an anti-inflammatory as well, so it works well for conditions like fibromyalgia which affect migraine sufferers disproportionately.
Remedy
You鈥檒l notice that there are a number of 嫩草影院-heavy strains on this list. That鈥檚 because most migraine sufferers have little interest in getting wasted; they simply want to feel better and be able to function. Remedy takes the 嫩草影院-THC ratio to an extreme, as this Indica-dominant strain is purposely bred for extremely high 嫩草影院 content (up to 15%) with almost no THC at all. If you couldn鈥檛 tell from its name, Remedy was created specifically for pain relief.
After a few hits, you鈥檒l start to notice a lifting of stress and heaviness, followed by deep relaxation and an easing of migraine and other body pain. And its extremely small THC content makes Remedy the very best option for those who also suffer from anxiety since that problem won鈥檛 be exacerbated in any way. It鈥檚 good for setting a chill mood in general but is a revelation for those in a lot of pain.
Canna-Tsu
This strain is a hybrid of Cannatonic and Sour Tsunami, two other 嫩草影院-rich varieties that also do a nice job of relieving migraine pain. Canna-Tsu is truly balanced, both between Indica and Sativa and between 嫩草影院 and THC; it certainly packs more of a punch than Remedy (its THC content is between 5-10% THC), but is mellow enough to calm the body and lessen the effects of migraines, while also fighting inflammation and general body pain.
The head high is a happy and focused one, so the depression often suffered by migraine patients is ameliorated while the pain is eased. Canna-Tsu can be somewhat difficult to find if you鈥檙e not on the West Coast, but Cannatonic or Sour Tsunami are similar enough to be good substitutes.