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

  • Non-pharmacologic Aspects of Pain, Migraine, and Headache (D Buse, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

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.

Summary

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.

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Data Availability

No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut, Hartford HealthCare, 300 Post Road West Suite 102, Westport, CT, 06880, USA

    Olivia Begasse de Dhaem

  2. Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Carolyn Bernstein

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  1. Olivia Begasse de Dhaem
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  2. Carolyn Bernstein
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OB and CB wrote the manuscript text.

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Correspondence to Olivia Begasse de Dhaem.

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Begasse de Dhaem, O., Bernstein, C. Yoga for Migraine Prevention: An Ancient Practice with Evidence for Current Use. Curr Pain Headache Rep (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-024-01234-6

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