Characterizing Cannabis Use and Perceived Benefit in a Tertiary Headache Center Patient Sample

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pharmacology
• Pain Management

Background:

• Cannabinoids show potential in migraine etiology and treatment.
• Limited research exists on cannabis use patterns in clinical headache populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cannabis use patterns and perceived benefits in a clinical migraine patient sample.
• To understand how cannabis-based products affect migraine symptoms and associated risk factors.

Main Methods:

• Online survey administered to 1373 patients at a tertiary headache center.
• Data collected on cannabis use patterns, reasons for use, delivery methods, and perceived effects.
• Descriptive analyses performed on survey responses.

Main Results:

• 55.7% reported cannabis use in the past 3 years, with 65.8% using it for headache treatment.
• Majority reported improvements in headache intensity, duration, frequency, nausea, sleep, anxiety, and depression.
• 48.9% reported reduced need for other headache medications; 14.5% eliminated other medications.

Conclusions:

• This study is the largest to document cannabis use for migraine in a clinical sample.
• Most patients perceive significant benefits of cannabis for migraine management and associated symptoms.
• Further experimental trials are needed to validate these perceived benefits for migraine treatment and prevention.