Study finds exercise can alleviate migraine

According to experts, a moderate aerobics program is just as good as relaxation therapy and drugs in preventing migraines.

The study found all three techniques were equally effective in reducing the magnitude of pain and frequency of a migraine attack.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Emma Varkey, physiotherapist and doctoral student at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden stated, "This non-pharmacological approach may therefore be an option for the prophylactic treatment of migraine in patients who do not benefit from or do not want daily medication."

Migraine is a neurological syndrome characterized by headaches and nausea, a condition more common in women.

Symptoms of migraine headache vary from person to person. Some experience migraine headache often in a month with the ache persisting for nearly three days.

Study details
The focus of the study was to determine the impact of exercise as a preventative treatment for migraines, relative to relaxation exercises and drug topiramate.

They recruited 91 women from a headache clinic in Sweden. The participants, aged between 18 to 65 years were diagnosed with neurologist migraine and suffered from headaches two to eight times per month.

The volunteers were randomly split into three groups. As a part of the program the first group was supervised to exercise for 40 minutes thrice a week, the second group was assigned to relaxation therapy while the third was given a daily dose of the antiepileptic medication topiramate.

Outcome of the study
The researchers evaluated the migraine status, quality of life, aerobic capacity and level of physical activity of the migraine sufferers before, during and after the 12-week study.

The study found a slump in the number of migraine attacks in all three groups.

It was observed that topiramate was more effective in reducing the severity of migraine pain than relaxation therapy and exercise.

However, 33 percent women taking the drug exhibited adverse effects like depressed mood, vertigo and constipation and three opted out of the study as a result.

Varkey stated, "The only parameter where topiramate was better compared with exercise and relaxation was the reduction of pain intensity.

"On the other hand, the non-pharmacological options were free from adverse events and the exercise group increased oxygen uptake, which is very positive."

Need for further research
It is safe to say the study advocates that staying fit with regular exercise may help manage headaches.

However, experts feel there is need for further research to substantiate the findings.

Varkey said, "From a wider health-based perspective, it should be stressed that patients with migraine are less physically active than the general population, and that exercise has positive effects in terms of general well-being and the prevention of disease.

"Additional and larger studies are, of course, needed to verify our results and to gain evidence for exercise as migraine treatment, but our results are hopeful."

The finding was published in the journal Cephalalgia.