Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42484949›Full record

ReviewCurrent pain and headache reports2026

Non-Pharmacological Treatments of Migraine: Current Evidence and Clinical Practice.

Dilara Onan, Rune Häckert Christensen, Michalis Kodounis, Lotte Skytte Krøll, Edina Szabo, Raffaele Ornello, Haidar Muhsen Al-Khazali, Christopher L Robinson, Sait Ashina

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Current pain and headache reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Dilara OnanDepartment of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey. dilaraonan@gmail.com.
Rune Häckert ChristensenDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Michalis KodounisDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Lotte Skytte KrøllDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Edina SzaboDepartment of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Raffaele OrnelloDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Haidar Muhsen Al-KhazaliDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Christopher L RobinsonDepartment of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Sait AshinaDepartment of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purpose of reviewNon-pharmacological migraine treatments are commonly used for prevention, may be preferred in sensitive groups such as pregnancy, childhood, and older adults, can be applied as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment, or selected according to the patient condition/preferences. However, most studies are based on heterogeneous designs, resulting in uncertainties regarding level of evidence. This review aimed to summarize the current scientific evidence on the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in migraine, and their role in clinical practice. RECENT

findingsRecent studies on acupuncture, physical therapy (PT), psychological therapies (PsyT), biofeedback, and neuromodulation point to modest but clinically significant benefits, although heterogeneity in outcomes and study designs limits the strength of recommendations. Articles were searched PubMed and Web of Science databases through November 2025 including acupuncture, PT, biofeedback, PsyT, and neuromodulation. Evidence levels were provided for headache frequency, intensity, duration, disability, and headache impact, with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), where available. Acupuncture had a small effect on reducing monthly headache days with moderate GRADE. Aerobic exercise, manual therapy (with medical treatment), and yoga regarding PT, individually, ranged from moderate to large effects in reducing on monthly migraine days and a small to large effect size on pain intensity, duration, and disability, but did not have a GRADE. PsyT showed small imroving in monthly migraine, headache days, intensity, disability, medication use, and treatment response, with low GRADE. Evidence for neuromodulation treatments was not reported. Although there is limited evidence for efficacy in sensitive groups, PT and PsyT are approaches that can be considered for these groups due to potential positive treatment effects. These interventions have shown modest benefits in improving migraine symptoms, the overall quality and consistency of the evidence is limited and heterogeneous.

Indexed as

Migraine DisordersAcupuncture TherapyBiofeedback, PsychologyHumansPhysical Therapy ModalitiesTreatment OutcomeAcupunctureBiofeedbackExerciseHeadacheManual therapyNeuromodulationPsychological therapy

Identifiers

PMID42484949

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.