CBD has revolutionized many areas of the health industry, providing an array of benefits to treat a wide range of conditions. From its anti-inflammatory properties to the calming effect it has on the body and mind, CBD is now a staple in many people’s daily lives for good reason.

The ingredient has been touted as an excellent aid for migraine sufferers. Many swear by CBD’s restorative properties to soothe migraine headaches, or prevent them from occurring in the first place. As CBD is a well-known pain reliever, there’s plenty of scientific evidence demonstrating its effectiveness at treating migraines.

As one of the most popular aids to help treat migraines, you should definitely consider integrating CBD into your daily life to help ease the pain and frequency of migraines. If you’re considering purchasing CBD products to treat your migraine headaches, explore our 5 top things to keep in mind when you’re looking for CBD.

1. Quality is Everything

A plethora of scientific studies attest to the overwhelming importance of using high-quality CBD products. Just how effective CBD works to treat health problems like migraines is heavily dependent on the quality of the plant, as well as the processing techniques used. When exploring CBD products, it’s vitally important to pick products made according to rigorous manufacturing standards. 

If a product is not transparent about the processing standards used, it may be best to avoid it as you can’t get a gauge on its quality. High-quality, reputable products usually mention manufacturing standards on the label or online. Additionally, it’s recommended to find products that have been tested by reliable, third-party laboratories. This prevents sellers from making false claims about their products, and gives customers assurances over its quality.

A high standard of quality control is also vital to prevent undesirable chemicals and materials contaminating CBD products. Unreliable CBD products can contain things such as pesticides and toxic metals due to poor manufacturing practices. Additionally, cannabinoid profiles and amounts can vary widely between different batches of the same product if the manufacturer isn’t reliable. For example, products that claim to be 30% CBD may contain 20% CBD in one batch, but another batch will be 35% CBD due to poor practices.

2. Choose The Right Spectrum

CBD is one of over 100 cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant, and one of the most popular worldwide for its amazing health benefits. What many people don’t know is that CBD products are often combined with other cannabinoids such as THC, as this is believed to increase its potency at treating issues like migraines.

Not all CBD products are identical, as some can contain more cannabinoids than others. On the other hand, there are also pure CBD products that are free from other cannabinoids. Most CBD products fall into one of three categories:

  • CBD Isolate – A CBD isolate product contains pure CBD, without any of the other active compounds found in the cannabis plant. CBD isolate is favored by those looking to maximize CBD intake, as isolate products will often contain a higher percentage of CBD.
  • Full Spectrum – Full spectrum CBD products are manufactured together with all other active compounds in cannabis, including THC. Although they will still typically contain just a small quantity of THC, their full profile of cannabinoids makes it the ideal choice for those looking for the synergistic effect.
  • Broad Spectrum – CBD products falling under the broad spectrum category will typically contain many cannabinoids, but will be free from THC. This allows users to still enjoy a rich profile of active compounds without ingesting any THC.

Evidence suggests that cannabinoids work together in a synergistic fashion, enhancing and complementing the benefits of one another. For this reason, many will seek out broad spectrum or full spectrum CBD products, as they can provide an enhanced kick. 

Some sources have suggested that THC and CBD content isn’t of primary importance for treating migraines, although both cannabinoids still play a key role in targeting pain and inflammation. Instead, getting a full profile of cannabinoids appears most promising, so you may be better off trying out a full spectrum CBD product first before sampling others.

3. Finding The Right Dosage

One of the discoveries in CBD research is the importance of finding the correct dosage. Studies have shown that consuming either too much or too little will significantly diminish the health benefits provided by CBD. Researchers suggest discovering your ‘goldilocks zone’, where the dosage is just right, to maximize the effectiveness of CBD. Going overboard on CBD could cause a few issues like fatigue or lack of focus (don’t worry though, because CBD is a very safe ingredient).

In order to do this, you’ll first need to get an accurate gauge of how much CBD you’re taking per dose. Look for products that contain very specific measurements of CBD content (usually in milligrams). Poorly made products will often lack dosage amounts, or the concentration of cannabinoids will vary due to inferior processing standards. This reaffirms the importance of buying high quality CBD products from reputable manufacturers.

Discovering what exactly your perfect dosage is can also take some time. There are many factors that will determine what your ideal dosage is including body composition, tolerance threshold and the severity of your migraines. It can take CBD users a few weeks to find that optimal dosage range, so don’t despair if you don’t experience an immediate cessation of your migraine. Patience is key, and it’s worth keeping a note on your phone on daily dosage amounts for more accuracy.

You’ll need to experiment with CBD consumption in the initial stages to find your dosage. It’s best to start off with low doses, before incrementing your intake if you aren’t experiencing many benefits. CBD works most effectively when you take doses at regular intervals, so make sure you stick to your daily routine with CBD to get the most out of it.

4. Method of Consumption

When the average person thinks of CBD, popular oil tinctures are what usually come to mind first. This method of ingestion involves placing droplets beneath the tongue for 30-60 seconds, allowing CBD to absorb into your bloodstream through the tongue. However, there are many other ways to consume CBD, some of which may be more suitable for treating migraine headaches.

For the most instantaneous intake of CBD, vaping or smoking the compound is the ideal method of ingestion. This involves using vape cartridges or CBD leaf in a vaping device to inhale the active cannabinoids. This method provides an almost immediate dosage of CBD into the bloodstream, unlike other methods which can take time to kick in. The only downside to this method is that many people do not like smoking or vaping, and would prefer a more natural way to ingest CBD such as orally or through edibles.

If you don’t enjoy smoking or vaping, you may consider purchasing edible CBD products instead. These offer less bioavailability, but the effects are often more long-lasting than vaping due to the slow release of CBD into the bloodstream. This may be more favorable to those experiencing long-lasting but mild migraines, as opposed to sharp and acute migraines. 

Some people even prefer the use of creams and balms which can be applied directly to your forehead for localized relief. Alternatively, CBD oil is popularly used to treat all kinds of health conditions and will be very effective at targeting migraines. Sublingual ingestion of CBD has a high absorption rate, although unlike vaping it doesn’t have an instant effect as it takes some time to enter the bloodstream.

5. Consult Your Doctor

Before considering any form of treatment for migraines, you should be speaking with a medical professional. Although CBD is an excellent aid for migraines, based on scientific evidence and millions of happy customers, everyone is unique and a medical professional can best determine if it’s suitable for you. For example, some people suffering from migraines may have other health conditions too. 

CBD consumption could end up inadvertently aggravating other health problems, so it’s worth consulting your doctor just in case. Some groups advised to approach CBD with caution including those with gastrointestinal problems, chronic fatigue, and low blood pressure. Additionally, CBD can interact with medications and potentially cause problems. For this reason, it’s best to have a talk with your doctor before considering purchasing CBD products if you have any other long-term health conditions. 

Conclusion

CBD offers excellent benefits for migraine sufferers, making it one of the most popular remedies for the condition. Its anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties allow instant relief from migraine headaches, while its balancing effect on the endocannabinoid system helps reduce stress and anxiety. However, you shouldn’t purchase any old CBD product that you find, as it’s vitally important to buy CBD of a high standard.

Be sure to thoroughly research the manufacturing practices behind your chosen product, and also ensure you pick the right form of CBD whether it’s vaping cartridges, CBD oil or another form. When picking a CBD product to treat migraine headaches, evidence suggests that a full spectrum product may be more effective than the rest, although all CBD products will have a beneficial impact on your migraines.

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