Date
12-2021
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chair
Vickie Moore
Keywords
Migraine Headaches, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Treatment, Prevention
Disciplines
Nursing
Recommended Citation
Spangler, Katelyn Vaughn, "The Effect of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Migraine Headaches: An Integrative Review" (2021). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 3339.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/3339
Abstract
Migraine headaches continue to be a prominent health concern, affecting a large percentage of the population globally. These headaches have many negative impacts on patients’ lives, including decreased productivity, missed time at work or school, increased suicidal tendencies, and a decreased overall quality of life. Pharmacological approaches for treatment are available but often present with safety concerns, unpleasant side effects, rebound headaches, increased expenses, and a higher rate of emergency department visits. Therefore, many people seek treatment options other than conventional medication to address their migraines. Various complementary and alternative medicine therapies have shown promising results in previous clinical trials for migraine management. This integrative review explores the effects of the complementary and alternative medicine therapies of exercise therapy, yoga, chiropractic spinal manipulation, acupuncture, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and massage therapy on migraine headache prevention and acute treatment. These alternative methods of migraine treatment have proven to be effective in many studies, but additional high-level evidence studies are needed to validate these findings.
