| A new study suggests that regular exercise may be just as effective as relaxation therapy and prescription drugs for migraine prevention.A migraine is more than just headache pain. Migraines are thought to be the result of a genetic neurological disease characterized by flare-ups often called “migraine attacks.” Although a headache may be one symptom of a migraine, some individuals with recurrent migraines may have attacks without headaches at all.
In a new study, researchers randomly assigned 91 adults with migraines to one of three groups. The first group was assigned to exercise for 40 minutes three times weekly. The second group was assigned to relaxation therapy, and the third group was assigned to the prescription drug, topiramate, at increasing doses with a maximum of 200 milligrams daily. Throughout the three month study period, various outcome measures were evaluated, including quality of life, migraine status, oxygen intake and activity level. The average frequency of migraines at the beginning of the study compared to the final month of treatment was used as the main outcome measure. The researchers found that all three treatments reduced the frequency of migraines; however, there was no significant difference in results between groups. The authors concluded that regular exercise may be a beneficial option for individuals with migraines; however, additional research is necessary to further evaluate these findings. References: Republished with permission of Natural Standards Research Collaboration ©2011. |