Medical Marijuana and CBD Oils for Migraine

Written by Alicia Gallegos
Medically Reviewed by Shruthi N, MD on October 10, 2025
8 min read

Migraine headaches can seriously disrupt your daily life, causing nausea and preventing you from enjoying activities due to pain. In some cases, common medications, both prescription and over-the-counter ones, may not work well enough.

If you're exploring other ways to manage migraine symptoms, you may run across medical marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD) as options. Some new research suggests that they may help ease migraine symptoms, but research is still limited and unclear.

Many states allow marijuana use for medical reasons, but the substance is not legal in every state, and rules differ about usage. Make sure you learn what your state law says about marijuana and understand the rules before trying it.

Inside your brain, you have a network of receptors that affect how you feel pain. Researchers believe that marijuana binds to certain receptors and nerve cells, slowing pain and easing discomfort. Scientists also believe marijuana can lower inflammation, which may also help ease pain.

You've likely heard of THC, which stands for tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is the cannabinoid in marijuana that can make you feel high or relaxed. Another component of marijuana is CBD, which doesn't give you that high feeling but may promote relaxation and ease pain.

CBD is legal in all 50 states, with varying rules and restrictions depending on where you live. In 2015, the FDA eased regulations so that scientists could conduct trials on CBD. In 2018, a federal law made hemp-derived CBD legal in the U.S., but with restrictions.

Evidence about marijuana's effects on migraine is pretty limited. Most of the research has focused on either THC alone or THC and CBD mixed together. A recent study presented at the 2025 American Headache Society annual meeting found that a combination of 6% THC and 11% CBD resulted in pain relief for people who had migraine attacks.

The combo of THC and CBD worked better to ease pain than THC alone and CBD alone, the study found. THC alone helped some with pain but not other symptoms, while CBD alone did not show any benefit. The participants in the study inhaled THC and CBD as a vapor.

The combination of THC and CBD helped ease or get rid of pain and bothersome migraine symptoms two hours after vaporization with sustained benefits at 24 and 48 hours, according to the study published in the journal Neurology. 

In an earlier study at the University of Colorado, 121 people who had regular migraine headaches used marijuana daily to prevent attacks. About 40% of them reported that the number of monthly migraine headaches they had was cut in half.

The people in the Colorado study used different types of marijuana, but most inhaled it to ease a migraine in progress. Edible products didn't seem to work as well. Those who inhaled or smoked marijuana said it was easier to control the amount of the drug they took in, and they had fewer negative reactions.

A 2021 review of past studies and literature found that overall, medical cannabis decreases the duration and frequency of migraine attacks. Researchers concluded that people experiencing migraine “may benefit from medical cannabis due to its convenience and efficacy.”

But the majority of research on the effects of marijuana has focused on pain for other conditions. For example, nabiximols — a mixture of THC and CBD — has been proven to ease pain in people with multiple sclerosis.

The CDC reports that cannabis can help treat neuropathic pain, a type of pain caused by damaged nerves. But the CDC stresses that more research is needed on whether cannabis works better than other alternatives to treat pain.

Early studies show CBD can help treat pain, but there's no clear proof that CBD alone can ease migraine pain. Like the Neurology analysis, most of the research on CBD has focus on CBD and THC together.

CBD/THC formulations have shown benefits for people with long-term (chronic) pain from multiple sclerosis, advanced cancer, and neuropathic pain.

"Early research suggests [CBD] may help with pain, inflammation, and nausea, and may improve sleep for some people — though it can also make others sleepy," says Frederick Godley, MD, president of the Association of Migraine Disorders. "Evidence is still growing, and effects can vary by dose and product."

A recent review by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that CBD led to small improvements in pain. Evidence on topical CBD, low THC to CBD ratio, and other cannabinoids was "insufficient to draw conclusions," the agency's review concluded.

Clinically, it appears some patients do benefit from CBD, Godley says. "Pain relief is improved by adding a small percentage of THC, but the goal is to avoid the psychoactive effects of this cannabinoid. Unfortunately, there are many unknowns about the safety, the optimal CBD:THC ratio, and the most effective dosing of marijuana for migraine. For example, while cannabinoids appear to provide some pain relief, patients do not generally report complete pain relief."

Currently, there's no standard CBD dose for migraine, says Godley. People respond differently to CBD, and there's no one-size-fits-all method of delivery.

"A common approach is to start at 2 milligrams/day and slowly increase to about 20 milligrams/day every three to five days, as needed and as tolerated," Godley says.

Many people do better taking several small doses during the day instead of one large dose, he adds. People also report that CBD offers better pain relief if some THC is mixed with CBD, he notes.

"Most clinicians recommend a higher dose of CBD than THC, but the most effective and safe ratio is not yet established," Godley says.

The recommended dosage for marijuana also varies. It depends on the person, the form of cannabis, and the desired effect. 

At least two studies have shown that 200 milligrams of THC, or THC combined with CBD, is an effective dose. People who got THC alone or in combination with CBD reported a 55% decline in their migraine pain after a 200-milligram oral dose, the study found.

In the study, people with headaches and migraine also preferred hybrid cannabis strains, particularly "OG Shark," which contains high THC and low CBD. They also liked strains that had a majority of the terpenes: beta-caryophyllene and beta-myrcene. Terpenes are the components that make cannabis plants smell and taste different from other plants.

Keep in mind that both CBD and THC can change how your body breaks down medicines, including triptans used for migraine and beta-blockers taken for blood pressure, according to Godley. 

"They do this by affecting liver enzymes that process drugs, which can make drug levels go up and lead to more side effects or make drug levels go down and result in less benefit," he says.

With beta-blockers, CBD may lower your blood pressure too much, causing dizziness or fainting, he adds. THC, on the other hand, can make your heart rate and blood pressure swing.

"With triptans, CBD may raise triptan levels and increase sleepiness or nausea, and THC may raise blood pressure and worsen side effects," Godley says. "If your clinician says it's OK to try a cannabinoid, start low and go slow, avoid driving if you use THC, and check your blood pressure and pulse for the first couple of weeks."

Watch for warning signs such as fainting, chest pain, severe vomiting, fever, confusion, or yellow eyes/skin, and get help right away if you notice any of these signs.

In general, common side effects from cannabinoid use include sleepiness, loss of appetite, and diarrhea.

Some users can also face serious risks such as hyperemesis syndrome and chronic psychosis, according to Godley. If you've regularly used marijuana for a long time, you may develop cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), which can cause repeated vomiting, severe nausea, stomach pain, and dehydration.

With THC, there are risks of worsening cognition, changes in your tolerance to THC, and growing dependency on THC, says Hope O'Brien, MD, a board member for the National Headache Foundation Board Member and Founder & CEO of Headache Center of Hope in Cincinnati.

Addiction is also a danger. Close to 10% of people who begin smoking cannabis will become addicted, and 30% of current users meet the criteria for addiction.

If considering marijuana or CBD for your migraine pain, experts suggest that you exhaust traditional treatment options first before turning to cannabis.

"Some people may choose to use CBD or marijuana during a migraine attack. But it's generally recommended to start with standard acute migraine treatments, such as triptans or gepants, under the guidance of a healthcare provider before considering cannabinoids," said Kylie Gagan, RN, director of education for the Association of Migraine Disorders.

The use of CBD or marijuana should be "adjunctive at best," O'Brien adds, meaning the substances should only be used in along with a primary migraine treatment. Such usage should be guided by local laws and in discussion with your health care provider, O'Brien said.

"If there is no improvement of migraine symptoms in six to eight weeks, talk with your health care providers to ensure proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment options," she said.

Legal regulations about marijuana differ depending on where you live. Know the state and federal laws about medical marijuana to make sure you don't break any.

Forty-seven states, plus the District of Columbia, allow marijuana for medical purposes. Of those states, 38 allow medical marijuana through comprehensive programs, while 14 states have a comprehensive medical-only program. Nine of the states have medical programs that allow you to use only CBD or low-THC products for medical conditions that qualify for the program. 

At the federal level, marijuana is still considered a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act and is not approved for medical use. You can face federal penalties if you make, distribute, dispense, or possess marijuana with the intent to make, distribute, or dispense the drug.

Before trying marijuana and CBD to help with migraine pain, discuss your plan with your headache or pain management specialist, Gagan said. Such specialists can help prevent interactions with other medications and guide safe dosing. 

If you're comfortable, let a trusted friend or family member know about your intention to use the substances, especially the first time you try them, Gagan said. 

"Start with a low dose and go slow. If you don't notice an effect right away, avoid taking another dose too quickly, since some forms may take longer to work," she said. 

As for the safest ways to take marijuana and CBD, currently the preferred delivery method is intraoral tincture, Godley says. In this method, you place a liquid cannabis extract inside your mouth for absorption, usually under your tongue.

"Smoking marijuana adds risks of lung damage," Godley said. "If vaping, use the natural plant, since vaping wax and oil products can lead to irreversible lung damage." 

Be careful with edibles. Edibles make it much harder to control the dose of cannabinoids, he adds.

Gagan said dispensaries are typically the safest place to get cannabis because products from dispensaries list the amounts of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids, and must meet specific safety and quality standards.