Biofeedback: An Effective Add-on Treatment for Migraine Headache Alongside Medication Therapy

Background & Objective: Migraine is an occasional headache that represents neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as changes in the autonomic nervous system. Biofeedback is a non-pharmacological technique used to treat migraine headaches and is proven to reduce headaches and improve performance. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of biofeedback and pharmacological treatments to find the best treatment strategy for migraine headaches. Materials & Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 86 patients who referred to Noor Psychiatric Clinic and Neurology Clinic of Valiasr Hospital, Zanjan, Iran. Patients were divided into two groups of daily treatment with medication and treatment with medicine and biofeedback. Cases were monitored every two months using interviews and questionnaires. Results: The study was carried out on 86 migraine patients with the age range of 31-45 years for 3 months. Most of the patients were female, including 90.7% of the individuals in the case group and 81.4% of the control group. The frequency distribution of medication use was not different between the two groups (P=0.744). Most of the participants had a history of more than 1 year of headache. During the treatment, the frequency and severity of attacks reduced obviously until the 8th week. The decrease in the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) score was more significant in the biofeedback group, except in the 10th and 12th weeks. However, the decline in the MIDAS score was not significant. Moreover, the reduction in the frequency of attacks remained significant until the end of the study. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the combination of biofeedback treatment and medication therapy provides a more rapid response than pharmacological treatment alone. Therefore, biofeedback is an effective add-on therapy, which can be taken into consideration for diminishing all aspects of migraine headache attacks.