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Exercise and Migraine Prevention: Take Two

July 10th, 2008

I promised to get you some more evidence to answer the question: Does exercise aid in Migraine prevention?  And in the interim, this news cropped up:  The Journal Headache recently published a review of eight studies and four case reports of exercise as migraine therapy.  Dr. Volker Busch of the University of Regensburg, Germany, reviewed the studies, and found that

“most studies did not find a significant reduction of headache attacks or duration due to regular exercise. Six of the studies demonstrated a reduction of pain intensity during the intervention.”

Read full coverage at My Migraine Connection.  Please note, though, that the answer is not “No.”  The answer Dr. Busch’s review provides is that: 1) in the studies reviewed, there was not a significant reduction in number or duration of migraines; and 2) there is not yet sufficient evidence to state with certainty whether or not exercise helps.

Does this mean we give up on exercise?  No!  I gave you my little piece of anecdotal evidence a few weeks ago in the post Exercise for Migraine Prevention.  My update since that time?  I have exercised 27 of the last 30 days.  I have had 3 migraines in that time.  Contrast that with an average of 6.5 migraines per month for the last 7 months, with sporadic exercise.  It’s not scientific evidence of anything, mind you.  All I can tell you is that exercise is making me feel good!

What does exercise do for us?

• Exercise releases endorphins, which are our body’s own pain-killers.
• Exercise relaxes our muscles - it reduces muscular tension.
• Exercise reduces our general fatigue and helps us sleep better.
• Exercise tones our blood vessels and increases blood flow.
• Exercise reduces anxiety levels and increases relaxation.
• And then there’s all that stuff about a healthy heart, a healthy weight, regulating our blood sugar, just the general things that keep us alive!

Read more on the benefits of exercise from migraine blogger James Cottrill at Relieve-Migraine-Headache.

It stands to reason, I believe, that exercise might reduce migraine frequency or severity.  I can’t promise you, of course, that it will do that for you.  Migraine is, among other things, an outcome of a sensitive, highly reactive nervous system.  Whatever we can do that makes us stronger, healthier, more relaxed, more stress-hardy, ought to make our systems less reactive.

Most of us are also aware of the problem of exercise-generated migraines.  The key is to take it slow and gentle.  A couple of great articles on how to work in some exercise without setting off migraine are Teri Robert’s 10 Ways for Migraineurs to Sneak in Some Exercise, and Ellen Schnakenburg’s Moving and Exercising and Migraine.  Also remember to drink lots of water and avoid hot sun if it’s a problem for you.

I don’t have medical studies to back me up here!  But medicine is art as well as science, and I’ll tell you that all my doctors are telling me I need to get regular exercise!  So don’t let “it’s not proven” mean “why bother?”

- Megan
Breezy, clear, sun getting lower - time for a walk!

What does that sailboat image have to do with it?  That was my daughter’s first solo sail - she was getting some great exercise!

Tags: endorphins, exercise, migraine prevention, vascular health
Posted in Managing, Medicine, Tips & Techniques | Comments (7)

7 Responses to “Exercise and Migraine Prevention: Take Two”

1. MaxJerz Says:
   July 11th, 2008 at 10:50 pm

   Aww, Sunfish! I used to sail them when I still lived in Jersey.

   Be well,
   MJ

2. Megan Oltman Says:
   July 12th, 2008 at 12:21 am

   MJ - You are just one down-the-shore Jersey girl! Let’s hear it for Barnegat Bay!

3. Kendall Says:
   July 15th, 2008 at 5:20 pm

   I’m about to participate in the ESCAPE trial (all fingers crossed). I have found there is a definite, unmistakable correlation between exercise and migraines: the more exercise I get, the more migraines I get. This has only been going on for the past year (I’ve had migraines nearly 50 of the 63 years I’ve been on the planet). I will find out on July 29 if I have a PFO. If I do, that could explain the relation: exercise increases heartbeat, and the more blood that pumps, the more impurities or whatever it is that cause migraines. For now, I’m being pretty sedentary because I can’t cope with the alternative.

4. Megan Oltman Says:
   July 15th, 2008 at 7:00 pm

   Kendall - I’m crossing fingers for you too! I do want to emphasize that there are reasons not to exercise too - you have certainly come up with one! But moving gently, stretching, yoga, moving around the house, is beneficial for almost everyone even if they can’t do more vigorous exercise. I hope you find some answers soon!
   - Megan

5. onward Says:
   July 16th, 2008 at 6:01 pm

   Something I very recently found (last weekend as a matter of fact). I was at the beach trying desperately to fight off a furious headache and enjoy my very brief afternoon at the beach and I found swimming in the cool water to be very soothing and relaxing. So in addition to being good exercise (even though I was really just floating there at the time) I found it to be a very pleasant distraction from the headache.

6. Kendall Says:
   August 4th, 2008 at 10:51 am

   I do have a PFO (between 3 and 4 on a scale of 1-5), so I will participate in the study. I just have to hope I will really get the PFO closure and won’t be a member of the “control” group that will get a fake closure. They won’t tell us for a year whether we really got it or not. Nothing to do but hope.

7. Megan Oltman Says:
   August 4th, 2008 at 1:18 pm

   Kendall - I’m hoping for you too! Keep me posted, okay?
   - Best, Megan

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