Can mighty CBD help with migraines?

If you’ve ever had one, you’ll know the difference between a migraine and a headache. The feeling your head is squeezed in a vice, a circular saw spinning in your vision and even a dim lightbulb feels like sun-bright torture. Migraines often come with nausea, vomiting, blackout episodes, intense sensitivity and it’s emphatically not just a headache. Researchers still don’t fully understand all causes, but common triggers include stress, fatigue, hunger, certain foods like chocolate, alcohol, and hormones (often associated with fluctuations during the menstrual cycle and often an increase during perimenopause). 1 in 5 women suffer migraines versus 1 in 15 men. 

How can migraines be treated?

The National Migraine Centre recommends:

“Acute migraine treatment can be with painkillers or triptans. Most find aspirin or ibuprofen better than paracetamol or codeine. Triptans, like sumatriptan (available without prescription), mimic serotonin. Other helpful drugs include stronger NSAIDs and anti‑sickness meds.
Early acute treatment matters. Recognize your 'window of opportunity' sometimes aspirin or NSAIDs help during prodrome or aura, whereas triptans may be delayed until headache onset. Because migraine can slow digestion of medication, always keep treatment at hand.”

Migraines can also be prevented: avoid known triggers, manage stress, and consider preventive medications (beta‑blockers, anticonvulsants, tricyclics), though these often take months to take effect and offer only partial relief.

Can CBD help?

Jennie wasn’t taking CBD for migraines, but…

"I’ve been using The Tonic CBD patches and 8% water soluble solution for my Rheumatoid Arthritis pain. Hadn’t realised until you mentioned CBD oil and migraines in your newsletter, that I haven’t had migraine since using the CBD patches! I don’t have them very often but when I do they’re the sort that affect my vision, make me feel sick and the left side of my face drops. Literally no symptoms since using the patches!!! As I’ve said before these patches have changed my life! I’m sure I’ll keep noticing other things the longer I use them."

There has been some research, but nowhere as much as we'd like to see in this area. A 2022 migraine model study in mice, tested cannabidiol given before or after migraine-triggering CGRP (a peptide involved in migraine). CBD prevented and reversed facial pain (‘allodynia’), and reduced anxiety-like behaviour, though it didn't protect from light sensitivity (photophobia).

But what we do know, is Jennie is not the only customer to experience a reduction in migraines. Kate, our founder, used to suffer once of twice a year with severe migraines, but since taking CBD, she has had ONE migraine in 8 years. And we have many anecdotes from our customers over the years.

We think this may be down to several factors. If stress is a trigger, one thing we know CBD is good for is reducing stress, regulating cortisol (fight flight hormone) and adrenal levels. CBD deepens sleep and helps regulate our sleep pattern, so if your migraine is triggered by lack of sleep, here's where it can help. 

As CBD is a great anti inflammatory and through various ways, can reduce pain, if it hasn't stopped a migraine, it can certainly help a faster recovery from one.

Here are the products we at The Tonic recommend for migraines. 

Further research reference:

Another 2023 study tracked brain and plasma distribution of CBD, showing it modulates migraine-related pain transmission and inflammatory mediators—supporting its potential relevance for human migraine treatment.