Effect of Breathing Techniques on Migraine Attacks and Severity

Dokuz Eylül University (DEU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Breathing Techniques; Migraine Headaches

Treatments: Behavioral: breathing techniques

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05536635

7201

Details and patient eligibility

About

Background:

Migraine is a very common neurobiological disorder caused by increased excitability of the Central Nervous System. It is among the causes of the highest morbidity worldwide. Migraine has considerable economic and social impact ; affects the quality of life of patients and disrupts work life, social activities and family life. To decrease the frequency and severity of migraine attacks may be the first goal than treating the attacks.

The study was designed as a Parallel Group, Add on, Randomized Controlled Experiment in order to observe the effects of breathing techniques on migraine-like headaches, frequency and severity.

Methods:

Participants will be divided into 2 parallel arms, intervention and control (treatment as usual). Cluster randomization will be performed to prevent intergroup contamination. Breathing techniques will be taught to the intervention group by the researcher. Both groups will continue to use pharmacotherapy for migraine. Both groups will be evaluated with migraine disability level (MIDAS) at the beginning and end of the study. The primary output of the study is to evaluate the effect of breathing techniques on the frequency and severity of attacks in migraine-like headaches. The secondary output is to evaluate the effect of breathing techniques on the MIDAS level.

Discussion:

The results of the study will provide information about the effect of breathing techniques on migraine-like headaches. The results of this study will contribute to the literature, since migraine is among the chronic diseases and pharmacotherapy options are limited.

Enrollment: 86 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Are 18-50 Age
• Have a computer and/or smart phone
• Have an internet connection that can be used at home and at work (with a computer or smart phone)
• Are volunteer to participate in the research
• Have Frequency of attacks less than 3 months
• Fulfil diagnostic criteria of migraine like headaches

Exclusion criteria

• Severe anatomical defect in the airway
• Pregnancy
• Having any diagnosed psychiatric disease
• Using psychiatric medication
• Having speech and hearing problems
• Having any chronic disease which may be worsening by taking deep breath

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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86 participants in 2 patient groups

breathing techniques

Experimental group

Description:

The patients in the intervention group will be taught and practiced breathing technique. Breathing techniques will be taught face-to-face by the researcher to the patients in the intervention group. The participant will breathe through one nostril at a natural rate and depth, while the other nostril will be closed with the thumb or forefinger. After the act of breathing, it will open the closed nostril, close the open nostril and breathe naturally. As explained later, they will continue the cycle with the act of breathing. This process is described as a loop.

Treatment:

Behavioral: breathing techniques

treatment as usual

No Intervention group

Description:

The control group will continue his/her usual treatment as advised by the physician.