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Effectiveness of Yoga Therapy in the Treatment
of Migraine Without Aura: A Randomized
Controlled Trial
John PJ, Sharma N, Sharma CM, Kankane A.
Posted: June 2007  
Headache 2007;47:654-661

Background:   Numerous studies have explored the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of migraine but there is no documented investigation of the effectiveness of yoga therapy for migraine management.

Objectives:   To investigate the effectiveness of holistic approach of yoga therapy for migraine treatment compared to self-care.

Methods:   Seventy-two patients with migraine without aura were randomly assigned to yoga therapy or self-care group for 3 months. Primary outcomes were headache frequency (headache diary), severity of migraine (0-10 numerical scale) and pain component (McGill pain questionnaire). Secondary outcomes were anxiety and depression (Hospital anxiety depression scale), medication score.

Conclusion:   The study demonstrated a significant reduction in migraine headache frequency and associated clinical features, in patients treated with yoga over a period of 3 months. Further study of this therapeutic intervention appears to be warranted.