The efficacy of cannabis to relieve cluster headache is still uncertain, according to a study discussed in the August 2010 issue of Neurology Reviews. Elizabeth Leroux, MD of the Emergency Headache Center in Paris studied 139 patients who presented with cluster headache, to determine the frequency of cannabis use as well as its effect on headache attacks. 27 of these patients had specifically tried cannabis in an attempt to treat their cluster headaches, while fewer than 30% of those studied avoided marijuana use during a headache attack.
The investigators stated that “substance use should be addressed when caring for cluster headache patients to prevent complications from use and potential interactions with prescription drugs. The therapeutic potential of cannabis for cluster headaches is to be considered on a scientific basis, but mixed results observed by patients suggest that structured trials with synthetic, selective cannabinoids should be the way to investigate this topic further.”
