6 minute read
Research
Migraines and music
Migraine is a severe and painful health condition, with common symptoms including intense head pain (often on one side of the head); visual disturbances (such as flashing lights); sensitivity to light, sounds and smells; fatigue; and feeling or being sick (NHS, 2021; The Migraine Trust, 2021).
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It is believed to affect over a billion people worldwide and 10 million (one in seven) people in the UK. According to The Migraine Trust, an estimated 190,000 migraine attacks occur every day in the UK, with those affected losing a total of 25 million days from their work and education each year (The Migraine Trust, 2021). Not surprisingly, the Trust reports that the condition can also take a serious toll on relationships and mental health.
Inactivity and risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes
Regular physical activity (PA) has many well-researched health benefits, which could potentially play an important role in mitigating the severity of COVID-19. Among others, regular PA can help to: n improve immune function; n reduce the incidence and symptoms from various viral infections; n reduce systemic inflammation (a main contributor to lung damage caused by COVID-19); n improve cardiovascular health; n increase lung capacity and muscle strength; and n improve mental health (Sallis et al, 2021). A retrospective observational study conducted in California, USA, and published in British Journal of Sports Medicine identified 48,440 adult patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis from 1 January 2020 to 21 October 2020, with at least three exercise vital sign measurements recorded from 19 March 2018 to 18 March 2020. The researchers linked each patient’s self-reported physical activity category (consistently inactive=0–10 min/week, some activity=11–149 min/week, consistently meeting USA guidelines=150+ min/ week) to the risk of hospitalisation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death after COVID-19 diagnosis.
The results showed that ‘consistently meeting PA guidelines was strongly associated with a reduced odds for severe COVID-19 among infected adults. Specifically, when compared with those who reported being consistently inactive, those who were consistently meeting PA guidelines had lower odds of being hospitalised, requiring ICU admission and dying from COVID-19. Even activity levels that did not meet the PA guidelines were significantly associated with reduced odds of hospitalisation and death.
‘It is notable that being consistently inactive was a stronger risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes than any of the underlying medical conditions and risk factors identified by CDC* except for age and a history of organ transplant. In fact, physical inactivity was the strongest risk factor across all outcomes, compared with the commonly cited modifiable risk factors, including smoking, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cancer’ (Sallis et al, 2021).
In the study’s summary, the authors suggest that the medical community and public health agencies should promote ‘the potential for habitual physical activity to lower COVID-19 illness severity’ and that ‘pandemic control recommendations should include regular physical activity across all population groups’. *The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention n Read the full study at fht.org.uk/
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In a small pilot study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, researchers in France sought to examine the impact of a patient-controlled music intervention on 20 episodic migraine patients (Palongue et al, 2021).
Over a three-month period, the patients (17 females and 3 males) were required to complete one-totwo sessions of music intervention per day, with a minimum of 15 sessions per month. The music intervention was administered via a smartphone- (and computer-) based application called Music Care, which utilizes the ‘U’ sequence, designed to gradually relax the listener. Patients could adjust the length of the music intervention and choose their preferred style of instrumental music.
Following the intervention, patients reported a significant reduction in the frequency of migraine attacks, with 10 patients reporting a 50% reduction in the frequency of their migraine attacks. Some participants also reported a significant reduction in medication intake, duration of migraine attacks, and anxiety and depression.
The authors concluded that this pilot study provides ‘evidence that music intervention may significantly prevent migraine attacks. Moreover, this method is easily accessible and administered. Future well-controlled clinical trials are necessary to further explore the efficiency of the intervention.’ n Read the full study at fht.org.uk/ IT-139-research-migraines
Feel the benefit of FHT’s membership of the RCCM
The FHT is a long-standing corporate member and supporter of the RCCM (Research Council for Complementary Medicine).
The vision of the RCCM is ‘to promote research that will widen the availability of and access to safe and effective complementary medicine for patients within the National Health Service in the UK, to help prevent disease and improve patients' health and quality of life’.
As the FHT is a corporate member of the RCCM, as an FHT member you in turn have access to: n A video explaining what RCCM is and what it does, available on their homepage (rccm.org.uk) n If you are involved in research, the RCCM can help to publicise your work on their blog and Twitter, as well as in their newsletter. They can also help you to find study participants or disseminate a paper or article you have had published. n The RCCM can offer advice on research to individuals, from their expert trustees. Please email info@rccm.org.uk with your query, mentioning that you are a member of the FHT. n You can also sign up for the RCCM’s quarterly newsletter at rccm.org.uk/join and follow them on Twitter @theRCCM for the latest news and updates in the world of CAM research.
Research in brief
Integrative medicine in convalescence from COVID-19
In an article published in EXPLORE, the authors give advice based on current evidence about diet, supplements, physical activity, stress management, and other helpful therapeutic modalities, to support convalescence from mild to moderate COVID-19 (Alschuler et al, 2020). Modalities covered in this article include qi gong, breathing exercises, mindfulness, aromatherapy and expressive writing. The authors state that ‘this advice will continue to evolve as we care for patients recovering from MtoM [mild to moderate] COVID-19. Ideally, a randomized trial would confirm the value of these therapies as well as any additive, negative, or synergistic effects. Until that time, the high safety profile of these recommendations align with the first principle of medicine, primum non nocere [Latin for ‘first, do no harm’].’ n Read the full article at fht.org.uk/IT-139research-COVID-integrative-medicine
A review of the current literature on yoga, meditation and mindfulness in paediatric oncology was recently published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine (Stritter et al, 2021). Eleven studies met the review criteria, revealing the following highlights: n Yoga and mindfulness seem to be helpful methods to support children and adolescents during and after oncological treatment. n These interventions address physical as well as emotional challenges caused by the disease and the treatment. n Research must meet the challenge to develop suitable designs to further and better investigate the effects. n Read the full review at fht.org.uk/IT-139research-paediatric-oncology
Reflexology and pain intensity
Certain psychiatric disorders are conventionally treated using electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which can result in memory impairment, headache and muscle pain. A randomized clinical trial published in Journal of Caring Sciences showed a ‘positive effect of reflexology on reducing the intensity of pain in patients receiving ECT’ (Aliashraf Jodat et al, 2021). n Read the full study at fht.org.uk/IT-139research-reflexology-ECT
