Treating Migraines with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Migraines affect almost 40 million Americans. Many options exist to treat migraines and their accompanying symptoms, but there is no known cure. A growing body of research shows that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is emerging as a breakthrough treatment for migraine headaches and their accompanying symptoms.
Migraines are severe headaches that come with uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating symptoms that range from nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light to fatigue, numbness / tingling in the body, or difficulty speaking. Migraines can last for hours or days. Migraines negatively impact the daily lives of sufferers.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Migraine Pain Relief
Scientists do not know the exact cause of migraines, however, they do understand that when chemicals, such as serotonin, are triggered, it causes blood vessels to narrow throughout the body.(1) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) “substantially increases the amount of arterial oxygen,” (3) encouraging new blood vessel growth and circulation of oxygen throughout the vascular system, effectively combating the action of a migraine.
Studies have shown a positive correlation between HBOT and migraine pain relief. In one trial, “9 of 10 patients in the hyperbaric group found significant relief from symptoms.” (2) In another, scientists concluded that by “decreasing the inflammatory response that leads to the activation of the trigeminovascular pathway,” HBOT resulted in a “significant decrease in subjective pain.” (3) Yet another journal published a study that concluded “HBOT relieves pain with acute migraine headaches and possibly cluster headaches.” (4)
Ending Migraine Headaches with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
While pain management is important, stopping a migraine in its tracks would be an ideal result from a treatment. One study concluded that HBOT is “useful in the abortive management of migraine headache.” (2) A different trial reiterated that result, noting that “HBOT was effective for the termination of acute migraine.” (4) An especially encouraging result came from the Journal of Medical Gas Research, who reported a “highly-satisfied patient who had only experienced the single episode of a mild migraine during the entire course of treatment,” which “highlights the potential for using hyperbaric oxygen therapy as [treatment] against attacks in patients with treatment resistant migraines with aura.” (3)
Though all of the studies cited call for additional trials to confirm their initial results, the preliminary results are clear. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an effective tool to manage migraine headaches.
1. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy
2. A preliminary report on hyperbaric oxygen in the relief of migraine headache
Affiliations expand
PMID: 7775175
DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1995.hed3504197.x
3. Revisiting the expanded use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for treatment of resistant migraines David V. Matera1, * , Brian Smith2 , Benjamin Lam3 1 Department of General Surgery, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA 2 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA 3 Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA *Correspondence to: David V. Matera, DO, davidmate@pcom.edu.
4. Normal pressure oxygen therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy for migraine and cluster headaches
Published: 28 December 2015
Authors: Bennett MH, French C, Schnabel A, Wasiak J, Kranke P, Weibel S
Primary Review Group: Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group