Headaches. Whether you get the occasional one or they’re a regular occurrence, they can be absolutely brutal. They have a remarkable ability to quickly turn a pleasant day sour and transform an already difficult day into a living nightmare. If you’re tired of letting headaches ruin your day, there’s an innovative remedy you may not have tried yet: cannabidiol, or CBD as it’s more frequently referred.
If the name rings a bell, we’re not surprised. CBD is a non-psychoactive component of cannabis that has been hailed for everything from helping people cope with fibromyalgia to reducing nausea. So just how helpful is CBD when it comes to headaches? In this article, we’ll answer the top questions people have when it comes to using CBD for headaches.
Does CBD Oil Help Tension Headaches?
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Let’s start off by answering the most common question people have in regards to using CBD for headaches: “Does CBD Oil Help Tension Headaches?” The short answer is that yes, CBD oil may be able to help with your tension headache.
Many people have reported that CBD oil has helped them to better manage their tension headaches. In regards to scientific research backing this up, past studies have indicated that there is a promising link between the use of CBD and the reduction of the pain associated with headaches. In fact, cannabis has been a go-to natural headache remedy for centuries. There is also a solid link between the use of CBD in helping with both anxiety and stress—both of which are known triggers for headaches.
However, there is a lack of clinical trials that have specifically evaluated the connection between CBD and tension headaches. The reason for this limited research is in a large part due to the fact that marijuana usage has only become legal in the US relatively recently, so there was little impetus to conduct such tests in the past.
As one study conducted in 2017 titled The Use of Cannabis for Headache Disorders put it: “Currently, there is not enough evidence from well-designed clinical trials to support the use of cannabis for headache, but there are sufficient anecdotal and preliminary results, as well as plausible neurobiological mechanisms, to warrant properly designed clinical trials.”
So all in all, is using CBD oil for tension headaches worth it? Ultimately, it will depend on your body. Using CBD oil may be able to provide you with substantial relief or it may not help at all. The only way to find out is to try it for yourself. If you’re not sure which product to begin with, we suggest using a starter pack of CBD that’s designed those new to CBD.
Even if the CBD doesn’t work for your headache, keep in mind that it may be able to help with a range of other health problems, including those associated with headaches!
Is CBD Good for Cluster Headaches?
Similarly to using CBD oil for tension headaches, further research is needed to about the efficacy of CBD for cluster headaches. The good news is that the research conducted thus far has been promising.
For example, a study conducted in 2017 on a group of 48 cluster headache patients found that use of THC-CBD reduced their pain by around 40% in those patients who had suffered from migraines in their childhood. In the words of Dr Maria Nicolodi, a lead researcher in the study, cannabinoids were therefore, “only suited for use in the acute treatment of cluster headaches in patients with a history of migraine from childhood on.”
Fortunately, the current legal status of marijuana in the US coupled with an ever-increasing interest in using CBD for headaches means that it’s likely that more studies will be conducted into this area in the coming years.
If you’re experiencing cluster headaches and you’re open to giving CBD a go, keep in mind that CBD oil isn’t the only means of trying it. There’s a range of different products on the market now, from CBD soft gel capsules to CBD gummies. You can even try using a CBD cream, as we discuss further below.
Does CBD Oil Make You Have a Headache?
You’ve now learned about the potential of CBD in helping with headaches, but you may still be curious about whether CBD oil can actually cause headaches.
You’ll be happy to know that CBD oil is generally not associated with causing headaches. In fact, it’s not currently listed as a possible side effect of taking CBD oil. It’s worth noting that a 2017 literature survey titled An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies made absolutely no mention of headaches as a side effect of CBD oil usage.
That being said, while uncommon, there are cases where people have experienced headaches after using CBD oil. There are a couple of possible explanations for this. The CBD oil used may be of a lower-quality and may contain properties that the individuals reacted badly to. For example, some people may experience adverse side effects to solvents (such as such as ethanol and isopropanol) that are present in some CBD oils—particularly those of a lower-quality. If you’re after a high-quality CBD oil from a reputable company, we recommend CBD Living’s CBD Tincture with 300mg of CBD.
Another reason could be because the headache was brought on by initial lightheadedness, which is a known side effect that some people experience after taking CBD. If this is the case for you, try opting for a CBD oil with a lower dose of CBD.
Where Do You Put CBD Cream for Headaches?
CBD creams as well as CBD balms are a fantastic way to reap the benefits of CBD for headaches all the while taking advantage of the moisturizing properties offered by these products. In terms of where you should put a CBD cream for headaches, you should put it where you’re experiencing the pain. For example, around the temples, your forehead, near your ears, and the back of your neck. You may even wish to apply it to your scalp.
For best results, gently massage the cream into your pain points. Keep in mind that you’ll usually only need a small amount to feel its effects. As a rule of thumb, use the same amount you’d use when applying your regular cream. How often you should reapply the cream will depend on each product, but most brands will recommend somewhere around the 3 to 4 hour mark.
As is always the case with using CBD products (or any other products for that matter), always carefully read and follow the instructions provided.
