What if a simple smartphone was enough to calm migraines? According to a study conducted by NYU Langone Health, a relaxation app could reduce the pain and disability associated with these attacks by half, without medication.
82% of migraine patients saw their pain subside
Migraines strike like a silent storm, often without warning. For those who suffer from it, the slightest ray of light becomes an attack, every sound a torture. Getting up, working, or simply speaking is sometimes a challenge. But a new study published by researchers at NYU Langone Health opens an unexpected perspective: a free mobile application, called RELAXaHEAD (available on Playstore or Appstore), could soothe this pain with comparable, or even greater, effectiveness than traditional treatments.
The experiment involved 69 volunteers, aged 18 to 65, all suffering from chronic migraines. Some of them used the application daily for sixty days, following a progressive muscle relaxation program: contract then release each muscle group to release tension in the body and mind. The other participants were content to use RELAXaHEAD as a simple monitoring diary, noting their attacks over the days.
The results are striking. People who practiced these exercises every day saw the frequency and intensity of their migraines decrease by almost 50%. In total, 82% of participants who followed the full protocol saw their pain improve, according to the MIDAS score, which measures the impact of migraine on daily life. And, most strikingly, the number of patients who saw significant improvement in their disability – that is, their ability to go to work, play sports or attend school – almost doubled.
“These results show that smartphone interventions can help patients better manage their migraines and reduce associated disability, without resorting to medication.says lead researcher Dr. Mia Minen of NYU Langone Health.
For researchers, the key lies in autonomy and regularity: a few minutes of daily relaxation would be enough to reduce the nervous tension that triggers the attack.
When relaxation becomes a recognized treatment
For Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical, this digital approach is based on solid scientific foundations. “In emergency rooms, the focus is usually on immediate pain relief, but long-term prevention is often overlooked. Hence the interest of this study! Moreover, progressive muscle relaxation is not a crazy novelty: it is a grade A treatment, based on solid scientific evidence, for the prevention of migraine.”he emphasizes.
Progressive muscle relaxation acts on several levels, specifies the doctor:
- It reduces muscle tension:Migraineurs often have chronic muscle tension, particularly in the neck and shoulders.” ;
- It reduces psychological stress:Stress is a major migraine trigger. ;
- It helps to recognize the early signals of a crisis: “Regular practice helps recognize the warning signs of a crisis.” ;
- It finally restores confidence to patients: “Having a tool available reinforces the feeling of control over the disease..
So many levers which, combined, help prevent the most painful episodes.
A promising tool, but not a miracle solution
Beyond the perceived effectiveness, RELAXaHEAD has other concrete advantages: it is free, accessible anywhere and at any time, and allows regular monitoring of the evolution of crises. “Once you download the app, it’s available 24 hours a day, wherever you are, with no appointment necessary.”specifies the doctor. It also offers appreciable discretion: “You can practice at home, in the office, in transport, without any special equipment.. And above all, it makes it possible to follow the evolution of crises: “The diary allows you to visualize progress and identify personal triggers.”.
But this method, as promising as it may be, is not without limits. The study was carried out on a small sample – less than a hundred people – and only on English-speaking patients followed in New York. “Less than a hundred individuals participated in this study, which is still relatively few to generalize the results to all migraine sufferers.warns Dr. Kierzek. Many also gave up along the way, a common bias in health app searches. And the study did not measure the possible impact of drug treatments taken in parallel.
Still, the message is clear: RELAXaHEAD does not replace medications, but complements them. “This application is not a miracle solution that replaces medications”recalls Dr. Kierzek. It is part of a global approach: basic or crisis treatments, lifestyle, stress management and medical monitoring. “Finally, do not hesitate to keep a ‘migraine sufferer’s diary’ to determine the triggering or protective factors of these attacks (diet, activities, etc.).”concludes the doctor.