Chronic migraines and cannabis: How one mother found relief after a lifetime of pain

Toria LyttleA 43-year-old mother from Newtownards, Northern Ireland, turned to medical marijuana to control the severe migraines that have plagued her since childhood.

With monthly prescription costs reaching up to £350 ($366), Toria's case underlines the ongoing challenges in accessing alternative treatments for chronic pain in the UK. reported Fox News 54.

See also: Can Marijuana Help With Migraines? Chronic Pain Related to Multiple Sclerosis? New Clinical Guidelines Are Here

Living with chronic migraines

Toria has suffered from migraines since she was nine years old. The situation worsened when doctors diagnosed her with a benign brain tumor three years ago.

Despite the diagnosis, her migraines persisted, leading to years of sleep disturbances, pain and an inability to live her life to the fullest. “I've lived with these horrible migraines my whole life, but no one could explain to me why I was having them,” Toria said.

Before turning to medical cannabis, she had been prescribed several painkillers, but none of them relieved her symptoms and often made her feel worse. Desperate for a solution, Toria went to her doctor in September 2023 to try medical marijuana.

Moving on to medicinal cannabis

After consulting with a specialist at the private medical cannabis clinic Alternaleaf, Toria received a prescription for 30 grams of THC-containing cannabis each month. She now vapes two to four doses daily, depending on the severity of her symptoms. She says the change has been transformative.

“Medical cannabis has allowed me to live again,” she says. “It has made my world lighter because I no longer fear the next migraine and it is also much fairer to the people around me because my mood has improved a lot.”

Although cannabis has not eliminated his pain completely, it has significantly improved his condition, allowing him to sleep through the night and function during the day.

“It hasn't taken away the pain completely, but I can control it now,” he added.

Cannabis study confirms efficacy for migraine patients

Meanwhile, research presented at the 2023 American Headache Society Annual Meeting validates the efficacy of cannabis for migraines, echoing the life-changing relief Lyttle experienced.

The study, led by Dr. Nathaniel SchusterThey found that a combination of THC and CBD significantly reduced migraine symptoms within two hours of use.

Patients were randomly assigned to receive 6% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11% THC/cannabinoid (CBD) mixture, 11% CBD, and placebo cannabis.

“The doses we used are probably lower than what many people use on their own, and higher doses don’t necessarily mean more efficacy,” Schuster said. “The euphoria that the patients in the study had was not very high, probably between 2 and 4 out of 10 in subjective euphoria.”

Migraines affect 47 million Americans, 75% of whom are women. Although a severe headache is one symptom, migraine attacks can include visual disturbances, nausea, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, mental confusion, and debilitating pain.

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