Experience of migraine, its severity, and perceived efficacy of treatments among cannabis users

Complementary Therapies in Medicine

Leah N. Hitchcock¹  L. Cinnamon Bidwell²  Angela D. Bryan³  Laurel P. Gibson³ 

[1] Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Muenzinger Building, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.;Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA;Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA;

关键词: Migraine;    Headache;    Cannabis;    Marijuana;    Pain;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Objectives: As the legal and cultural landscape surrounding cannabis use in the United States continues to evolve, more Americans are turning to cannabis to self-medicate a number of ailments, including migraines. The purpose of the present study was to examine patterns of cannabis use and its associated relief among migraineurs. Design: Participants were N = 589 adult cannabis users living in states with full legal access. Using a cross-sectional design, participants completed an online survey assessing their cannabis use profiles, migraine experience, and self-reported relief from cannabis and non-cannabis treatments. Results: 161 participants (27.3 %) reported experiencing migraines. 76.4 % of migraineurs (N = 123) endorsed using cannabis to treat their migraines. 69.9 % (N = 86) of migraineurs using cannabis for migraine relief also endorsed using non-cannabis products (e.g., over-the-counter pain medication, triptans) to treat their migraines. Although their subjective health was similar (p = .17), migraineurs who endorsed using cannabis to treat their migraines reported more severe migraines compared to those who did not (p = .02). Migraineurs reported significantly more migraine relief from cannabis compared to non-cannabis products, even after controlling for migraine severity (p = .03). The majority of migraineurs using cannabis to treat their migraines were not medical cardholders (65.0 %), suggesting that these individuals were self-medicating in lieu of physician guidance. Conclusions: The present study provides insight into the prevalence of cannabis use for migraine relief in a sample of cannabis users, and suggests that these migraineurs experience a high level of migraine relief from cannabis. Future studies are needed to determine the cannabis forms, potencies, and dosages that are most effective at treating migraine pain.

【 授权许可】

Unknown