Why Does Smoking a Bong Gives Me Headaches?

Marijuana is often hailed for its relaxing, pain-relieving, and reducing inflammation properties. Meanwhile, Bongs are popular for providng a smooth and clean smoking experience.

However, there’s a subset of cannabis consumers who report headaches after smoking a bong, which can be an unwelcome and confusing experience.

Whether you’re a newbie facing your first post-smoking headache or a seasoned toker tired of these recurring headaches, we’ve got your back.

Understanding why marijuana headaches occur, how to prevent them, and effective remedies can help users manage and reduce this discomfort.

In this article, we will explore the causes of smoking marijuana-related headaches, tips for prevention, and treatment to alleviate them.

Why Does Smoking a Bong Gives me Headaches?

Headaches have many causes. A headache could be caused by an infection in the brain, or it could be caused by a blood clot or a tumor.

When you have a headache after smoking marijuana, it is most likely caused by the harmful substances in the smoke that cause inflammation in your brain.

This inflammation causes the blood vessels in your head to constrict and make it harder for oxygen to reach your brain tissue, leading to headaches.

Smoking bong headaches are not a universal experience, but they can occur for a variety of reasons, and pinpointing the exact cause may depend on individual factors such as the Dehydration, Overuse, high-thc strain used, Contaminated product, or personal physical condition.

Here are some common factors that may contribute to marijuana-induced headaches:

1. Dehydration

Dehydration is one of the most common causes of headaches.

When your body isn’t hydrated, your blood vessels can start to dilate, affecting your blood pressure, and that’s when you get that thumping in your head.

Smoking weed through a bong can cause a reduction in saliva production and lead to decreased thirst sensation, making it easier for users to become dehydrated.

This lack of fluids may cause headaches as the body struggles to maintain proper hydration levels.

2. Overconsumption

In some cases, smoking too much marijuana quickly can lead to overstimulation of the brain, which may trigger headaches, especially in individuals with lower tolerance.

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) happens when you have cycles of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain from long-term cannabis (marijuana) use.

3. inhalation of toxins

Smoking causes the inhalation of toxins such as ash, fine particles, and butane that can introduce irritants to the respiratory system, potentially leading to headaches in some consumers.

When burning cannabis, it produces ash, fine particles and other harmful substances. Bongs may not filter the smoke adequately, allowing unfiltered smoke to reach the lungs.

The lighter you use usually contains Butane, which has a tendency to cause headaches due to the gas and it's impurities. If you were torching your bowls in a bong, you could be concentrating the butane into the smoke.

4. Low-Quality or Contaminated Cannabis

Using low-quality cannabis or marijuana that has been contaminated with pesticides, mold, or other harmful chemicals may contribute to headaches.

The presence of mold or mildew, in particular, can be harmful when inhaled and may cause not only headaches but also respiratory issues.

Depending on the grower, they may spray a variety of pesticides. such as eagle-20 for killing Powdery Mildew..

Myclobutanil (active ingredient in eagle-20) releases hydrogen cyanide when combusted. Instant brain damage.

Improperly dried and cured cannabis contains a lot of cholorphyl and this not only tastes like hay but can trigger physical reactions, including headaches.

Smoking seeds,stems and leafes give some people headaches so go through your smoking materials for seeds, stems and leafes.

5. High-THC strains

Cannabis strains vary widely in their cannabinoid and terpenes content, with some strains being more likely to trigger headaches than others.

High-THC strains like heavy sativa strains, can cause tension, anxiety, and an overactive mind in some users, which can exacerbate headaches.

6. Smoking under hypoxic conditions

Smoking increases carbon monoxide levels in the blood, reducing oxygen delivery to the brain, which can also lead to headaches.

This can be made worse if you smoke in a confined space, such as smoking indoors with doors and windows closed.

Additionally, Both Cannabis smoke and hypoxia can lead to an enhanced risk of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

7. ill first

Perhaps you were ill before smoking bong, and it made the condition more noticable.

Smoking can damage nearly every organ in the body, especially the heart, brain, and lungs. 

How to Get Rid of Headaches from Smoking a Bong?

If you are prone to headaches after smoking cannabis through a bong, there are several ways you can take to prevent and treat it.

Prevention is often easier than treatment, and by adopting certain habits, you may be able to enjoy cannabis without the discomfort of headaches.

1. Stay Hydrated and Rest

If you find yourself with a headache after using cannabis, stay hydrated, relax, and lie down in a dark and quiet space to help alleviate symptoms.

Drink water to eliminate dehydration as a factor. Before, during, and after smoking cannabis, make sure to drink plenty of water.

2. Choose the Right Strain

If you find a strain that consistently gives you a headache, it might be time to try a different one.

Some cannabis users find that indica strains high in CBD are less likely to cause headaches.

3. Moderate Your Use or even quit smoking

If you’re new to smoking marijuana or trying a new strain, start with a low dose and increase it gradually if needed.

Moderation can help you avoid the side effects associated with consuming too much at once.

 Quitting smoking can be beneficial in treating headaches. However, going cold turkey may make withdrawal headaches worse.

4. Avoid Smoking in Enclosed Spaces

Don't smoking marijuana in enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces that can lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide, Hypoxia, and poor air quality.

Instead, do so in a well-ventilated area or outdoors to minimize this risk.

5. Purchase High-Quality Cannabis

Avoid purchasing low-quality cannabis from unreliable sources like black market, as it may be contaminated with pesticides, mold, or other harmful chemicals.

Always buy cannabis from licensed dispensaries, where the products are lab tested for purity and safety.

6. Try Vaping or Edibles

If your headache is the result of smoking bong method itself, non-smoking cannabis ingestion methods like Vaping or Edibles may help achieve the psychoactive effects and relieve discomfort.

Vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking. Vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cannabis.

Cannabis edibles do not irritate bronchi and lungs, which might be gentler on the respiratory system.

7. Use Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers

If your headache persists, you may want to consider using over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. These medications can provide quick relief from mild to moderate headaches.

If these do not work for you, you may have an underlying medical condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes that needs to be treated before you can get rid of this symptom permanently.

Conclusion

Experiencing headaches after smoking weed through a bong can be a unique reaction.

They could be from anything. Read about the causes, prevention & treatment of them in this article.

Individual responses to these strategies to eliminate the weed headache vary. Choose the one or combination that works best for you.

While occasional discomfort may not be unusual, severe or persistent symptoms warrant attention.

Contact a medical health professional for further advice if your headache worsens or persists.