Yoga for Migraine Prevention: An Ancient Practice with Evidence for Current Use.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The objective of this study is to review the recent literature on yoga for migraine prevention either as adjuvant or standalone therapy. Yoga is one of the most widely used complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) therapies; clinicians should be familiar with yoga practice so that they can best advise interested patients. It is also important to assess study design and types of yoga offered. Using PubMed and Litmaps, research published from 2018 to 2023 addressing yoga and migraine was assessed. RECENT FINDINGS: Two systematic reviews and six studies have recently been published on yoga as adjunctive migraine preventive treatment. There is class III evidence and a grade B recommendation for yoga as an adjunct migraine preventive treatment. Yoga has been shown to reduce headache frequency, disability, and likely also pain intensity and self-efficacy. Two studies (one in children and one in adults) suggested that yoga as standalone migraine preventive treatment reduces pain intensity, disability, and perceived stress. More research is needed on the long-term efficacy (including change in monthly migraine days specifically in addition to headache frequency) and adherence to yoga practice for the prevention of migraine. In addition, to our knowledge, there is no study evaluating yoga practice in the prodromal or headache phase of migraine as acute treatment.

sEMG Biofeedback for Episodic Migraines: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a 6-week virtual sEMG biofeedback intervention for patients with episodic migraines. Patients with episodic migraines were randomized to treatment with a novel surface EMG (sEMG) at-home biofeedback device or a treatment as usual control group; they completed validated baseline and post-intervention assessments of migraine related disability (migraine-specific quality of life, anxiety and depression). Participants also underwent a series of Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) procedures referring to several different tests that quantitatively assess responses to mechanical stimuli during two separate visits (baseline and post intervention). No adverse events were reported during the study. Compared to the treatment as usual comparison group, patients in the sEMG biofeedback group reported lower migraine disability (p < 0.05). Compared to baseline, participants in the sEMG biofeedback group demonstrated statistically significant reductions in anxiety (p < 0.01), and significant increases in quality of life (p < 0.001), and significant decreases in temporal summation (p < 0.05) assessed by QST. No significant changes were observed in any of the outcomes in the control comparison group (p > 0.05). No significant changes were observed in migraine frequency in either of the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, mediation analyses revealed that changes in migraine related quality of life mediated group effects on changes in migraine disability. Virtual sEMG biofeedback shows promise as a potential therapy for reducing disability, anxiety and depression and improving quality of life in individuals with episodic migraines. These results demonstrate the feasibility of a digital intervention for migraines and set the basis for conducting a future, larger scale randomized controlled trial to confirm these preliminary findings.

Migraine and infertility, merging concepts in women's reproductive health: A narrative review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to examine issues around treating infertility in patients with migraine. BACKGROUND: Women outnumber men in migraine diagnosis with a 3:1 ratio; the disease is commonly expressed in women of child-bearing age and is influenced by changes in circulating hormones. Infertility is also common, and the use of treatment options, such as assisted reproductive technology, have expanded exponentially in recent years. METHODS: We summarized the literature around the effect of infertility treatments on headache in the general population and migraine population. We also discuss sociobehavioral, economic, and biological factors affecting fertility in patients with migraine, describe infertility protocols, and propose areas of focus for future research. We searched PubMed for the combined key terms in vitro fertilization or assisted reproductive technology AND migraine, or headache. The search included all dates and specified English-language results only. RESULTS: Migraine may negatively influence family planning and fertility. Patients face obstacles stemming from the impact of migraine on social relationships and the interference of preventive medications on pregnancy. Migraine may also be associated with an increased prevalence of endocrine disorders which in turn affect fertility. Moreover, infertility treatments are associated with mild headache as a side effect. In addition, we found only one retrospective study demonstrating an increase in headache frequency during in vitro fertilization in the migraine population. CONCLUSIONS: We determined that there is little research focused specifically on migraine headache exacerbation and other migraine-associated health outcomes with infertility treatment. This topic merits further interdisciplinary exploration.

Evaluation of headache in patients with cancer.

Headache is a common complaint and is often benign. When patients with cancer describe new headaches, it is important to ensure that there are no emergent or concerning etiologies, including metastatic disease. This review article details primary and secondary headaches. Red flags-the do-not-miss warning signs-are described. An initial approach to the evaluation, including suggestions for imaging, features to look for in a targeted examination, and when to request a consultation, is outlined. An overview of headache etiologies is described with a particular emphasis on the most common types: migraine and tension. The classification of headaches, based on criteria from the International Classification of Headache Disorders (3rd edition; beta version), is reviewed. Medications used for treatment, including newer biological agents, are described, and there are details about both abortive and preventive medication therapies. Suggestions for complementary and integrative therapies, some of which may be synergistic in treating other cancer symptoms, are outlined; they include mindfulness therapies, which are gaining traction in treating a variety of medical conditions. Readers should have an understanding of headache evaluation in patients with cancer and should know how to formulate a plan for a diagnosis. In addition, readers will gain familiarity with common treatments, both pharmacological and complementary/integrative.

Multimodal chiropractic care for migraine: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Spinal manipulation may reduce migraine frequency, but effects of multimodal chiropractic care on migraine frequency have not been evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing multimodal chiropractic care + enhanced usual care (MCC+) versus enhanced usual care alone (EUC) among adult women with episodic migraine. EUC was comprised of usual medical care and migraine education literature. MCC+ participants received 10 sessions of chiropractic care over 14 weeks. Primary aims evaluated feasibility of recruitment, retention, protocol adherence, and safety. Change in migraine days was a secondary aim. RESULTS: Of 422 patients screened, 61 were randomized over 20 months. Fifty-seven (93%) completed daily migraine logs during the intervention, 51 (84%) completed final follow-up, and 45 (74%) completed all assessments. Twenty-four of 29 MCC+ participants (83%) attended > 75% of the chiropractic sessions. Ninety-eight non-serious adverse events were reported by 26 participants (43%) with 39 events among 11 EUC participants and 59 events among 15 MCC+ participants. MCC+ participants experienced greater reductions in migraine days (-2.9 days for MCC+ vs. -1.0 days for EUC, difference = -1.9; 95% confidence interval: -3.5, -0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-specified feasibility criteria were not met, but deficits were remediable. Preliminary data support a definitive trial of MCC+ for migraine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03177616).

Acceptance and commitment therapy for high frequency episodic migraine without aura: Findings from a randomized pilot investigation.

OBJECTIVE: We compared the incremental effects of adding acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to pharmacological treatment as usual (TAU) in a sample of patients with high frequency episodic migraine without aura (HFEM), assessing impact on a spectrum of measures across multiple domains. BACKGROUND: Patients with HFEM are at risk of developing chronic migraine and medication overuse headache. ACT has been shown to be effective for the treatment of various chronic pain conditions, but little attention has been given to its therapeutic value in the management of recurring headaches. METHODS: In this single-blind (masking for outcome assessor), open-label, randomized clinical trial, 35 patients with HFEM, with a monthly headache frequency ranging from 9 to 14 days, were recruited at the headache center of C. Besta Neurological Institute and randomized to either TAU (patient education and pharmacological prophylaxis; n = 17) or TAU + ACT (n = 18). Patients assigned to the combined treatment arm additionally received six 90-min weekly group sessions of ACT therapy and two supplementary "booster" sessions. All patients were on a stable course of prophylactic medication in the 3 months prior to initiating either treatment. Monthly headache frequency served as the primary outcome measure, with all other data collected being considered as secondary measures (medication intake, disability, headache impact, anxiety and depression, catastrophizing, allodynia, cognitive inflexibility, pain acceptance, mindful attention and awareness). RESULTS: A total of 35 patients were enrolled: 17 randomized to TAU, of whom three dropped out, and 18 to TAU + ACT (no dropouts in this group). Headache frequency and medication intake decreased in both groups over 12 months, with patients in the TAU + ACT group showing statistically significant reduction earlier, that is, by month 3. Headache frequency was reduced by 3.3 days (95% CI: 1.4 to 5.2) among those randomized to ACT + TAU, whereas it increased by 0.7 days (95% CI: -2.7 to 1.3) among those randomized to TAU only (p = 0.007, partial η2  = 0.21), the difference being 4 days (95% CI: 1.2 to 6.8). Medication intake was reduced by 4.1 intakes (95% CI: 2.0 to 6.3) among those randomized to ACT + TAU and by 0.4 intakes (95% CI: -1.8 to 2.5) among those randomized to TAU only (p = 0.016; partial η2  = 0.17), the difference being 3.8 intakes (95% CI: 0.7 to 6.8). At 6 and 12 months, the variations were not different between the two groups for headache frequency and medication intake. The opposite was found for measures of headache impact and pain acceptance, where the differences over time favored patients allocated to TAU. Both groups improved with regard to measures of disability, anxiety and depression, catastrophizing, and cognitive inflexibility, whereas measures of allodynia and pain acceptance were stable over time. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary findings indicate that supplementing TAU with ACT can enhance the main clinical outcomes, namely headache frequency and medication intake of patients with HFEM.

Perceptions of Chiropractic Care Among Women With Migraine: A Qualitative Substudy Using a Grounded-Theory Framework.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize expectations, attitudes, and experiences of individuals with migraine who were randomly assigned to receive chiropractic care delivered within a randomized controlled trial in a hospital-based integrative care center. METHODS: This qualitative substudy was conducted as a part of a 2-arm pilot pragmatic randomized controlled trial investigating a multimodal model of chiropractic care for women with episodic migraine (4-13 migraines per month). Women were randomly assigned to chiropractic care (10 sessions over 14 weeks) plus enhanced usual care vs enhanced usual care alone. Semistructured interviews were conducted at baseline and 14-week follow-up with 15 randomly selected participants from the 29 participants randomized to the chiropractic group. Qualitative analysis was performed by 2 independent reviewers using a constant comparative method of analysis for generating grounded theory. RESULTS: Integrating baseline and follow-up interviews, 3 themes emerged: over the course of treatment with chiropractic care, participants became more aware of the role of musculoskeletal tension, pain, and posture in triggering migraine; participants revised their prior conceptions of chiropractic care beyond spinal manipulation; and participants viewed the chiropractor-patient relationship as an essential and valuable component to effectively managing their migraines. CONCLUSION: In this qualitative study, women with episodic migraine after receiving comprehensive chiropractic care described chiropractic as a multimodal intervention where they learned about musculoskeletal contributions to migraine, discovered new ways to affect their symptoms, and developed a collaborative patient-practitioner relationship. The results of this study provide insights into perceptions of chiropractic care among women with migraine and suggestions for future trials.

Headache Virtual Visit Toolbox: The Transition From Bedside Manners to Webside Manners.

The COVID-19 health emergency has led many Headache providers to transition to virtual care overnight without preparation. We review our experience and discuss tips to bring humanity to the virtual visits.

Development and Implementation of the Integrative Toolbox for Headache Management.

Patients with migraine are interested in integrative therapies and overall wellness. They also suffer from social isolation as they try to manage a chronic medical condition. We implemented a three-part workshop structured as a group visit that teaches multiple integrative therapies from specialists and offers a chance for shared support and learning.

Neural mechanism for hypothalamic-mediated autonomic responses to light during migraine.

Migraineurs avoid light because it intensifies their headache. However, this is not the only reason for their aversion to light. Studying migraineurs and control subjects, we found that lights triggered more changes in autonomic functions and negative emotions during, rather than in the absence of, migraine or in control subjects, and that the association between light and positive emotions was stronger in control subjects than migraineurs. Seeking to define a neuroanatomical substrate for these findings, we showed that, in rats, axons of retinal ganglion cells converge on hypothalamic neurons that project directly to nuclei in the brainstem and spinal cord that regulate parasympathetic and sympathetic functions and contain dopamine, histamine, orexin, melanin-concentrating hormone, oxytocin, and vasopressin. Although the rat studies define frameworks for conceptualizing how light triggers the symptoms described by patients, the human studies suggest that the aversive nature of light is more complex than its association with headache intensification.

The Impact of Spinal Manipulation on Migraine Pain and Disability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several small studies have suggested that spinal manipulation may be an effective treatment for reducing migraine pain and disability. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to evaluate the evidence regarding spinal manipulation as an alternative or integrative therapy in reducing migraine pain and disability. METHODS: PubMed and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for clinical trials that evaluated spinal manipulation and migraine-related outcomes through April 2017. Search terms included: migraine, spinal manipulation, manual therapy, chiropractic, and osteopathic. Meta-analytic methods were employed to estimate the effect sizes (Hedges' g) and heterogeneity (I2 ) for migraine days, pain, and disability. The methodological quality of retrieved studies was examined following the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. RESULTS: Our search identified 6 RCTs (pooled n = 677; range of n = 42-218) eligible for meta-analysis. Intervention duration ranged from 2 to 6 months; outcomes included measures of migraine days (primary outcome), migraine pain/intensity, and migraine disability. Methodological quality varied across the studies. For example, some studies received high or unclear bias scores for methodological features such as compliance, blinding, and completeness of outcome data. Due to high levels of heterogeneity when all 6 studies were included in the meta-analysis, the 1 RCT performed only among chronic migraineurs was excluded. Heterogeneity across the remaining studies was low. We observed that spinal manipulation reduced migraine days with an overall small effect size (Hedges' g = -0.35, 95% CI: -0.53, -0.16, P < .001) as well as migraine pain/intensity. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal manipulation may be an effective therapeutic technique to reduce migraine days and pain/intensity. However, given the limitations to studies included in this meta-analysis, we consider these results to be preliminary. Methodologically rigorous, large-scale RCTs are warranted to better inform the evidence base for spinal manipulation as a treatment for migraine.

Sex-related influences in migraine.

Migraine is a common neurological disorder with significantly higher incidence and prevalence in women than men. The presentation of the disease in women is modulated by changes in sex hormones from adolescence to pregnancy and menopause. Yet, the effect of sex influences has often been neglected in both basic and clinical and in clinical management of the disease. In this review, evidence from epidemiological, clinical, animal, and neuroimaging studies on the significance of the sex-related influences in migraine is presented, and the unmet needs in each area are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Migraine photophobia originating in cone-driven retinal pathways.

Migraine headache is uniquely exacerbated by light. Using psychophysical assessments in patients with normal eyesight we found that green light exacerbates migraine headache significantly less than white, blue, amber or red lights. To delineate mechanisms, we used electroretinography and visual evoked potential recording in patients, and multi-unit recording of dura- and light-sensitive thalamic neurons in rats to show that green activates cone-driven retinal pathways to a lesser extent than white, blue and red; that thalamic neurons are most responsive to blue and least responsive to green; and that cortical responses to green are significantly smaller than those generated by blue, amber and red lights. These findings suggest that patients' experience with colour and migraine photophobia could originate in cone-driven retinal pathways, fine-tuned in relay thalamic neurons outside the main visual pathway, and preserved by the cortex. Additionally, the findings provide substrate for the soothing effects of green light.

Simvastatin and vitamin D for migraine prevention: A randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to assess efficacy and tolerability of simvastatin plus vitamin D for migraine prevention in adults with episodic migraine. METHODS: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a 12-week baseline period and 24-week intervention period in 57 adults with episodic migraine. Participants were randomly assigned to simvastatin 20 mg tablets twice-daily plus vitamin D3 1,000 international units capsules twice-daily or matching placebo tablets and capsules. RESULTS: Compared to placebo, participants using simvastatin plus vitamin D3 demonstrated a greater decrease in number of migraine days from the baseline period to intervention weeks 1 to 12: a change of -8.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: -15.0 to -2.0) days in the active treatment group versus +1.0 (IQR: -1.0 to + 6.0) days in the placebo group, p < 0.001; and to intervention weeks 13 to 24: a change of -9.0 (IQR: -13 to -5) days in the active group versus +3.0 (IQR: -1.0 to + 5.0) days in the placebo group, p < 0.001. In the active treatment group, 8 patients (25%) experienced 50% reduction in the number of migraine days at 12 weeks and 9 (29%) at 24 weeks postrandomization. In comparison, only 1 patient (3%) in the placebo group (p = 0.03) experienced such a reduction. Adverse events were similar in both active treatment and placebo groups. INTERPRETATION: The results demonstrate that simvastatin plus vitamin D is effective for prevention of headache in adults with episodic migraine. Given statins' ability to repair endothelial dysfunction, this economical approach may also reduce the increased risk for vascular diseases among migraineurs.

Acceptance-Commitment Therapy for Women with Episodic Migraine: A Pilot Randomized Trial.

Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot, randomized controlled trial (RCT) of acceptance-commitment therapy (ACT) among women with episodic migraine, aged 18-65 years, and living in the United States. Background: Biobehavioral treatments have recently been proposed as possible preventive therapies for migraine management. ACT is a third wave biobehavioral therapy focused on acceptance and development of psychological flexibility and is evidence based for use in other chronic pain conditions. However, its use for reducing migraine frequency and disability has been understudied to date. Methods: The authors performed a pilot RCT evaluating ACT versus enhanced usual care (EUC) among adult women with episodic migraine. ACT consisted of eight virtual weekly sessions (for 8 weeks). Primary aims evaluated feasibility, retention, and protocol adherence. Secondary clinical outcomes included changes in migraine days and Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS). Results: We were able to successfully recruit 54 women in 15 months, which surpassed our recruitment goal. However, the completion rates of migraine logs and questionnaires at both outcome assessments were lower than anticipated. Among the 17 individuals randomized to EUC, 12 (71%) completed migraine logs and 12 (71%) completed questionnaires at the end of the intervention. In the postintervention follow-up, 11 (65%) individuals completed logs and 11 (65%) completed questionnaires. We observed slightly larger decreases in migraine days for those assigned to ACT from baseline to the end of the intervention, but these differences did not persist during postintervention follow-up. Both groups reported similar decreases in MIDAS over time. Conclusions: Recruitment for a large-scale trial of ACT is feasible. Challenges with remote data collection as well as participant burden during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in lower than anticipated completion rates. Future studies should focus on decreasing participant burden and streamlining study procedures. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT05003362.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and intimate partner violence in a women's headache center.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder has been linked to women's ill health, including headaches. Intimate partner violence, which may result in posttraumatic stress disorder, is often reported by women with headaches. Prior studies of intimate partner violence and headache have estimated lifetime but not 12-month prevalence. The researchers in this study examined the relationship between headache and posttraumatic stress disorder in a novel population, and estimated 12-month and lifetime prevalence rates of intimate partner violence. METHODS: Patients were recruited from a women's headache center (n = 92) during 2006-07 and completed the Migraine Disability Assessment measure of headache severity. Posttraumatic stress disorder was measured using a modified Breslau scale. Twelve-month and lifetime physical intimate partner violence were measured with the Partner Violence Screen and the STaT ("slapped, threatened and throw") measure. Multivariable regression determined factors independently associated with headache severity. RESULTS: Among all participants, 28.3% screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder; 9.8% and 36.9% of women endorsed recent and lifetime intimate partner violence. Posttraumatic stress disorder was strongly associated with headache severity (ß = 34.12, p = 0.01). Patients reporting lifetime intimate partner violence exhibited a trend of nine additional days of disability due to headache over 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: Posttraumatic stress disorder and intimate partner violence occur among a sizable proportion of women referred for headache. The authors' findings reaffirm that clinicians treating women with headaches must be aware of the possibility of posttraumatic stress disorder and intimate partner violence in such patients.

Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards and Guiding Patient Care: The AP Role.

The history of multidisciplinary tumor boards extends to more than 50 years ago. At JADPRO Live Virtual 2021, presenters discussed the evidence-based impact of tumor boards on patient outcomes and patient-centered care, reviewed benefits and limitations of multidisciplinary tumor boards, and explained the potential role of advanced practitioners in tumor boards in a variety of oncology practice types.

Acceptance and commitment therapy for episodic migraine: Rationale and design of a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Migraine is a debilitating disorder with limited pharmacological options. Many migraine medications can have intolerable side effects leading patients to seek complementary and integrative health (CIM) approaches for treatment. One option that is growing in popularity and evidence is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a mindfulness-based therapy. The purpose of this paper is to describe how ACT may be an effective modality integrated into the treatment of migraine and to describe the design of a pilot study of ACT for migraine. First, we review the research and the promise of mindfulness therapies for the treatment of migraine. Then, we describe how ACT differs from other mindfulness therapies for migraine and why it can be a promising option for these patients. Finally, we summarize the design of a pilot study designed to determine the feasibility of performing a future fully powered study to determine the effectiveness of ACT on migraine frequency and disability. This pilot study includes unique features, including a remotely-delivered ACT intervention and the measurement of cortisol levels before and after the intervention.