YOGA AS ADD ON THERAPY IS SUPERIOR TO MEDICAL THERAPY ALONE IN MIGRAINE

Yoga as ADD-ON Therapy is Superior to Medical Therapy alone in Patients Suffering from Migraine

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM

Migraine is the commonest cause of headache, especially affecting young people, more common in women. Migraine leads to disability and is a leading cause of absence from work. The mainstay of migraine treatment is medical treatment. Various medicines such as propranolol, flunarizine, amitriptyline, divalproex and topiramate are used to reduce severity and frequency of headaches in migraine patients. These medications at best help about 65% people. Many either have no or partial relief from headaches with medical treatment alone.

In a recent research conducted at AIIMS, New Delhi, the effect of yoga on migraine was studied. Patients aged 18-50 years were divided into two groups- one group received only medical treatment, and the other group practised yoga in addition to taking their medical treatment. They were followed up for three months. Patients who practised add-on yoga had lower headache frequency and severity. They also had lesser migraine-related disability and required lesser number of pain-killer pills.

Conclusion

Yoga as an add-on therapy in migraine is superior to medical therapy alone. It may be useful to integrate a cost-effective and safe intervention like yoga into the management of migraine.

(Source: Neurology, May 6, 2020)