Smart App Helps Alleviate Migraine Attacks Without Medications

SadaNews - Researchers at the "Langone Health" center, affiliated with New York University, have developed a smart application that may contribute to alleviating the disability caused by migraines without the need for medications.

They explained that the study offers a non-drug therapeutic alternative for migraines that is easily accessible via smartphones, thereby reducing patients' reliance on pain relievers that may cause side effects when used repeatedly. The results of the study were published on Thursday in the "JAMA Network Open."

Migraines are among the most common neurological disorders, causing recurrent episodes of severe pain on one side of the head or both, which may last for hours or even days. They are often accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light or sound. It is estimated to affect more than 14 percent of the world's population and is a major contributor to decreased productivity and increased visits to emergency departments.

The researchers named the new application "Relax in Peace," and it can be downloaded on mobile phones. It is designed to help migraine patients practice progressive muscle relaxation technique, which is a behavioral therapeutic method proven effective in reducing headache and muscular tension intensity.

The app's mechanism works by guiding the user step by step to tense a group of body muscles, such as those in the neck, shoulders, arms, and legs, for a few seconds, then gradually relaxing them while breathing deeply. This regular process helps alleviate the neural and muscular tension that contributes to triggering migraine attacks.

The application also allows users to record the frequency of their practice sessions and track headache episodes in an integrated diary, providing both the doctor and patient with accurate data on the progression of the condition and the effectiveness of the treatment.

Results from the study, which included 69 migraine patients, showed that using the new application clearly contributed to reducing the disability caused by migraines compared to the group that did not use it.

The results indicated that more than 80 percent of the patients who used the application recorded significant improvement in headache severity scale, compared to less than half of this proportion among those who did not use it. This improvement is of significant clinical importance, as it indicates that patients were able to resume their daily activities, work, study, and social participation to a better extent.

According to the scientific team, the combination of regular relaxation and self-monitoring through the application helps reduce the level of disability caused by headaches and gives patients a greater sense of control over their health condition, positively reflecting on their quality of life and reducing their dependence on medications.