Massage therapy may be an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for individuals suffering from migraines, a new study reports.

Researchers at the University of Auckland's Department of Psychology and the University of Queensland's Cancer Prevention Research Centre assessed the effects of massage therapy on migraine experiences.

The researchers defined migraines as distressing disorders often triggered by stress and poor sleep.

Forty-seven migraine sufferers were randomly assigned to massage or control conditions and were asked to complete daily assessments of migraine experiences and sleep patterns for a period of 13 weeks.

The massage participants attended weekly massage sessions during weeks 5 to 10. State anxiety, heart rates and salivary cortisol were assessed before and after the sessions. Perceived stress and coping efficacy were assessed at weeks 4, 10 and 13.

The study found that compared to control participants, massage participants exhibited greater improvements in migraine frequency and sleep quality during the intervention weeks and the three follow-up weeks.

Trends for beneficial effects of massage therapy on perceived stress and coping efficacy were observed. During sessions, massage yielded decreases in state anxiety, heart rate and cortisol.

1. Lawler SP, Cameron LD. A randomized, controlled trial of massage therapy as a treatment for migraine. Ann Behav Med. 2006 Aug;32(1):50-9. .