We’ve all had a headache before, and for a lot of us it just means we take some aspirin, hydrate, and wait a while for it to go away. For some people, though, that won’t relieve the symptoms. And with no relief, they have to put their lives on hold until the pain goes away. Many of these individuals have to seek out prescription pain relievers in order to function… but what if there was another way? What if there was something people who suffered from headaches and migraines could take that was effective, which had fewer side effects than prescription medication, and which was still effective?
Well, if you listen to the research, there is. CBD, which is a natural compound derived from cannabis plants. Unlike THC, known for as the psychoactive compound, CBD offers pain relief without any of the psychoactive elements of traditional cannabis use.
Is CBD The Answer To Problematic Headaches?
Have you ever stopped to ask why our heads hurt when we get headaches? After all, our brains can’t feel pain, so where is all this discomfort coming from? Well, as Medical News Today points out, the pain from a headache tends to come from inflamed tissues and blood vessels in your head, from changes in neurotransmitters that activate pain receptors, or some combination of both. That’s why, for some people, caffeine can help relieve headache symptoms; because the inflammation goes down and the blood vessels narrow. Over-the-counter medicines like Ibuprofen actually inhibit the body’s production of prostaglandins, which are what cause inflammation when you have an injury or an infection.
So what does CBD do that your standard bottle of pain relievers can’t? Well, it works on a completely different area of the body. The human body is full of cannabinoid receptors, and you can think of these like the square holes, whereas cannabis products like CBD are the square pegs that fill them. When the cannabinoid receptors are activated, this often causes a reduction in inflammation, as well as bringing neurochemical levels back down to normal levels. So you get the headache relief you need, but you don’t have to worry about your prostaglandin production, which is good since those chemicals have other, important jobs to do in your body.
The Short Answer… CBD Works
What all of that boils down to, and what studies have confirmed according to Healthline, is that CBD provides headache relief in a lot of circumstances. Even in the case of migraines, which can be difficult to relieve, and often require prescription medication in order to deal with the symptoms.
With that said, researchers have made a major recommendations when it comes to getting the most out of CBD for headache relief. You should always start with the minimum dose, and work your way up to be sure you’re all right. You need to have the proper dosage in order for CBD to work for you, but since CBD affects different people in different ways, it’s important to get a sense of how your body reacts to it. Especially if CBD is new to you.
The good news is that CBD has relatively few side effects, especially when you compare it to prescription medications people take for headaches and migraines. While some experience an upset stomach or drowsiness, this can often be negated by using different methods of taking CBD. It can currently be taken through a vaporizer, as an oil, or it can be ingested as part of an edible. Just as different doses will work for different people, it’s important to find the method of taking CBD that works best for you in order to get maximum relief from your headache symptoms. Because while CBD can’t cure the root cause of headaches, it can likely save you from dealing with the pain that comes with them.
To learn more about the potential benefits of CBD sourced from safe, non-intoxicating, natural hemp, visit The CBDistillery. We encourage you to download The Ultimate CBD User Guide and browse the assortment of quality hemp products. Learn more about the many potential benefits of CBD and the impact CBD supplements could have on your health.