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Those who suffer from migraines know how debilitating and disruptive they can be to your everyday quality of life. Migraines can show up without warning, delivering a blast of acute pain that takes over your ability to focus and function.
Missouri migraine sufferers may have reason to rejoice. Studies are showing that cannabis may provide a level of relief for migraines that is more effective than standard treatments. If you are someone who suffers from this condition, you owe it to yourself to get your Missouri medical marijuana card. It may very well be the key to gaining some control over the frequency and intensity of migraines.
What Are Migraines?
According to The Mayo Clinic, a migraine is “a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head.” Sometimes, migraines can cause nausea, vomiting, and extreme light and sound sensitivity.
What’s the Difference Between a Migraine and a Headache?
Technically, a migraine IS a type of headache. It is one of the most severe headache conditions. Other types of headaches include:
Tension headaches (the most common type of headache)
Sinus headaches (caused by a swelling of the sinus passages - usually happen when you are sick)
Cluster headaches (very painful headaches that occur in clusters, as the name suggests)
Migraines are different from the previously mentioned headaches. In their Health and Wellness blog, Penn Medicine explains that headaches are only one symptom of migraines. When someone is suffering from a migraine, they may feel some or all of the following symptoms:
Nausea
Increased light and sound sensitivity
Increased sensitivity to smells
Dizziness
Extreme Fatigue
Four Stages of Migraines
The timeline of a migraine can typically be broken down into four stages:
The Prodrome Phase
This is sometimes known as the pre-headache phase, and is a warning that a migraine is on the way. Symptoms sometimes include mood swings, stiffness around the neck, food cravings, yawning, and sometimes constipation and diarrhea.
The Aura Phase
During this phase, which can overlap into the actual headache phase, you may see blurred visions or flashing lights. You may experience arm numbness, blurred speech, and other conditions that affect your speech, vision, or sense of touch, and you may even have trouble thinking clearly.
The Headache Phase
This is the main event - the phase which is typically thought of as the actual migraine. This is when the pain typically hits, and it can range from mild to extreme.
The Postdromal Phase
This is the aftermath phase that occurs once the headache has gone away. During this phase, the pain has subsided, but you may feel exhausted, confused, or generally unwell as your body feels the after-effects for anywhere from hours to days.
How Long Do Migraines Last?
Migraines vary from patient to patient, but can last for hours and sometimes may go on for days. The National Headache Foundation says that most migraines last from 4 to 72 hours. That’s an enormous window of uncertainty for a condition with such painful symptoms.
Because the pain of migraines is so severe, they can be a hindrance to daily activities, interrupting work and stopping other plans in their tracks until the pain goes away.
How Common Are Migraines?
The Cleveland Clinic estimates that approximately 12 percent of adults suffer from migraines. The population of Missouri is around 6.1 million residents, which means that we can estimate that around 732,000 Missourians suffer from this debilitating condition.
How Can Cannabis Help?
Missouri patients are using medical marijuana to get relief for hundreds of medical conditions. One of the most common conditions treated by cannabis is chronic pain. It’s not too far of a leap to see that medical marijuana may also be able to help migraine sufferers.
One of the ways medical marijuana could help ease the pain of migraines is by calming or easing the pain receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system. Cannabis contains natural cannabinoids - most notably THC and CBD - that seek out those receptors that when you use medical marijuana, and eases the pain signals they send.
Forbes Magazine recently detailed a study conducted at the University of Colorado where patients reported a higher success rate using cannabis to treat their migraines than other medications.
Those who suffer from chronic migraines will be excited to hear of a recent study conducted in Israel that revealed a lowered frequency in migraines over time for 60 percent of patients. That’s a major argument for treating migraines with cannabis.
Medical marijuana is helping many people return to a quality of life they thought they’d never see again. If migraines are disrupting your life, consider treating them with cannabis. Medical marijuana could be the key to helping you gain control of the intensity and frequency of migraines.
Enough Is Enough. You Deserve Relief.
If you’re ready to see if cannabis can help ease the pain and frequency of your migraines, you’ll need a Missouri medical marijuana card. If you need some help getting your card, we’re here to help! Our doctors are standing by to take you through a quick and easy evaluation to see if you qualify. Schedule an appointment with a marijuana physician online by CLICKING HERE, or give us a call at (877) 303-3117 to talk to a patient support representative.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Missouri Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (877) 303-3117, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out Missouri Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in Missouri!
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