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A new study found that relaxation techniques can help reduce monthly migraine attacks.
In the United States, more than 36 million people experience an atrocious form of recurrent headache attacks, also called migraines.
Migraine, which causes an intense throbbing pain usually from one side of the head, can be an incredibly debilitating and disabling condition.
The pain often persists for hours, preventing people from continuing their social life, work and daily activities.
New research from the New York University School of Medicine suggests that using a regular smartphone relaxation app, called RELAXaHEAD, can help some people better manage migraine headaches.
NYU's is badociated with Boston-based software company Irody Inc. to develop the application. The application, for which NYU has a financial interest, is not yet available as work on iTunes. It is only available to those participating in the study.
People who used the application at least twice a week experienced about four fewer migraine attacks per month, according to the study published in
"This is a safe and effective treatment for migraine prevention," said Mia Minen, Senior Researcher, Assistant Professor of Population Health and Head of NYU Headache Research. Langone Health, at Healthline.
"This can be integrated into everyday life and can be done anywhere. Once learned, it is a tool that people can use for the rest of their lives, "she added.
The application uses relaxation techniques that can help reduce stress and potentially reduce migraine symptoms.
To understand the effectiveness of the application, the research team recruited 51 patients who, on average, had about 13 severe migraine attacks per month.
Each patient was asked to use the application for 20 minutes a day for 90 days.
The application offered a type of therapy called Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR), which taught people deep breathing exercises and tension and relaxation techniques of certain muscle groups to reduce stress, explained Minen.
Throughout the study, patients noted how they felt with the number of migraine attacks they experienced.
The researchers also tracked how long each patient spent doing the relaxation exercises on the application each week.
People who used the application longer and more frequently had about four fewer migraine attacks per month. Those who used the application sporadically had two fewer migraine attacks per month.
The results are significant and show that the application can work as well as some anti-migraine prophylaxis, said Minen.
"It's clear that integrating technology into treatment strategies has a lot to do. They are often less expensive, more effective and badociated with fewer side effects than drugs, "says Dr. Robert Cowan, Head of the Division of Headache Medicine. at Stanford University.
Migraine affects people of all ages and the symptoms usually vary from person to person.
"While most patients suffer from headaches, some patients may experience dizziness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, floating eyes and, rarely, even fainting," says Dr. Kiran Rajneesh , licensed neurologist and pain doctor at The Ohio State. University Wexner Medical Center.
Traditionally, people with migraine receive two types of treatment to manage their symptoms: prescription drugs and behavior therapy.
Research has shown that the best course of action is a combination of both.
However, many people do not follow these behavioral treatments because they can not pay for them or live near a treatment center.
In addition, some people respond poorly to drugs while others experience serious side effects.
"Although we now have different treatment options for the prevention and management of acute migraine, many patients continue to have frequent headaches," says Dr. Daniel Franc, a neurologist at Providence Health Center Saint John's.
"In addition, many patients want to use non-medical options for the treatment and prevention of migraine because of concerns about the side effects of drugs or unintended consequences in the long term," added Franc.
These relaxation techniques do not require any application. Anyone could learn and adopt to see if it helps their migraine symptoms.
For people interested in an application for the treatment of migraine, behavioral therapy via the app is an inexpensive option that people can do in the comfort of their homes, according to Minen.
The ultimate goal, according to Minen, is that people learn PMR techniques so they can do it themselves, even without the application.
She nevertheless recommends that people continue to take their migraine medications.
"Previous research has taught us that the best treatment for migraine prevention is the combination of medication and a behavioral therapy. I would therefore recommend people to use it with their medications, "said Minen.
The research team is currently studying exactly how long and how often users should use the application to get the best results.
A new study from the University of New York suggests that using a smartphone relaxation app can help dramatically reduce the number of migraine attacks that people experience each month.
Research has shown that the best method of treating migraine is a combination of medication and behavior therapy. However, most people do not receive either because of access and affordability issues. The use of the application is an inexpensive and risk free option that people can do at home.
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