Chiropractic Care for Migraine

Overseen By Viviane Nguyen, BS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital

Must not be taking: Anticoagulants

Disqualifiers: Non-veterans, Stroke, Substance use, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 14

Duration: 15 weeks

60 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to explore how chiropractic care might help individuals with episodic migraines, which are severe headaches that come and go, often accompanied by symptoms like nausea. Researchers seek to determine if chiropractic treatments can effectively reduce migraine symptoms compared to standard headache health education. Participants will be divided into two groups: one receiving chiropractic care and the other receiving educational sessions about headaches. The trial seeks individuals who have experienced migraines for over a year and have migraines 4 to 13 days a month. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could lead to new methods of migraine relief.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

You don't have to stop taking your current medications, but the dose must be stable for at least 2 months before joining the study. This applies to both migraine and non-migraine pain medications.

What prior data suggests that chiropractic care is safe for migraine treatment?

Research shows that chiropractic care might be a safe way to treat migraines. Several studies have examined its effectiveness in reducing migraine pain and related issues. For instance, one study found that chiropractic treatment shortened headache episodes for some individuals.

The safety information is also encouraging. Early results indicate that chiropractic care for migraines is generally well-tolerated. Many patients report reduced intensity and frequency of headache and neck pain after receiving chiropractic care. These studies have not reported major negative effects, suggesting that this method is relatively safe for most people.

Overall, for those considering a trial for chiropractic care for migraines, current evidence suggests it could be a safe option with potential benefits. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Chiropractic care for migraines is unique because it offers a non-drug approach to managing symptoms, which is different from standard treatments like pain relievers, triptans, and preventive medications. Researchers are excited about this approach because chiropractic care focuses on spinal adjustments that may address underlying physical causes of migraines, potentially reducing frequency and severity without the side effects associated with medication. Additionally, the ability to integrate this treatment with a patient's usual care makes it a flexible option that could enhance overall migraine management.

What evidence suggests that chiropractic care might be an effective treatment for migraines?

Research suggests that chiropractic care, which participants in this trial may receive, might help reduce migraine pain and the frequency of migraine days. Some small studies have shown that spinal manipulation, a method used in chiropractic care, can decrease migraine pain and related issues. One study found that chiropractic treatment reduced the number of migraine days by about 2.6 days on average. Many chiropractors use specific methods like the diversified technique, which has been reported to help with migraines. While more research is needed, these early findings indicate that chiropractic care could be a promising option for those suffering from migraines. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for English-speaking individuals who experience migraines 4 to 13 days per month and have had migraines for at least a year. They must be willing to follow the study procedures and accept random assignment to any intervention group, without starting new behavioral treatments during the trial.

Inclusion Criteria

I am fluent in English.

I have had migraines 4-13 days a month for the last year.

I am not starting new behavioral treatments during this trial.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either chiropractic care or headache health education over a series of 14 sessions

15 weeks

14 visits (in-person for chiropractic care, virtual for health education)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Chiropractic Care

Trial Overview The study is testing chiropractic care as a non-drug treatment for episodic migraine by comparing it with headache health education. The aim is to gather preliminary data that could lead to a larger trial on the effectiveness of chiropractic interventions in reducing migraine frequency and severity.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Headache Health Education (HHE) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to Headache Health Education (HHE) will receive 14 interactive 15-minute education sessions delivered via videoconference.

Group II: Chiropractic Care Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

4 sessions of chiropractic care (6 sessions of chiropractic care over 3-5 weeks followed by 8 sessions of chiropractic care over 12 weeks); participants will be allowed to continue usual care throughout the study.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,694

Recruited

14,790,000+

Palmer College of Chiropractic

Collaborator

Trials

19

Recruited

4,700+

Yale University

Collaborator

Trials

1,963

Recruited

3,046,000+

VA Connecticut Healthcare System

Collaborator

Trials

86

Recruited

8,800+

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Collaborator

Trials

886

Recruited

677,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6461372/

The impact of spinal manipulation on migraine pain and ... Several small studies have suggested that spinal manipulation may be an effective treatment for reducing migraine pain and disability.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876382025000289

Systematic review Is chiropractic spinal manipulation ... [46] found a statistically significant reduction in migraine days in favor of chiropractic manipulation (−2.60 [−5.10; −0.10]) and a significant improvement in ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3259914/

Chiropractic spinal manipulative treatment of migraine ... These studies suggest CSMT to be effective in treating migraineurs. Ninety-one percent of chiropractors report using the diversified technique. The Gonstead ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451865420300156

The Integrative Migraine Pain Alleviation through ... Results of this study will inform the design of a full-scale comparative effectiveness study evaluating chiropractic care for women with episodic migraines, ...

5. systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-024-02719-6

Spinal manipulations for migraine: an updated systematic ... This update of a systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of spinal manipulations as a treatment for migraine headaches.

6. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03177616?term=Chiropractic&viewType=Table&rank=5

Integrative Migraine Pain Alleviation Through Chiropractic ... Aim #2 - To provide preliminary data on the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic care on migraine frequency, severity, duration, and medication use in adult ...

7. medicalnewstoday.com medicalnewstoday.com/articles/chiropractor-for-migraines

Chiropractic for migraine: Does it work? The results showed 53% had a caseload that was high in individuals with migraine headaches. How does it work? To treat migraine headaches, ...

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6440032/

Integrating Chiropractic Care Into the Treatment of Migraine ... There was a nearly immediate positive response to initial care in headache and neck pain intensity and frequency, which the patient assessed as ...