Meta-analysis with complementary and supportive medicine methods in migraine headache

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of the effects of complementary and supportive medical methods on migraine headache.  In the study, peer-reviewed scientific publications containing complementary and alternative medicine methods related to migraine were examined and analyzed with semiotic analysis. Then, the scanned publications were examined with content analysis. In the light of the findings obtained from the content analysis, the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine methods in migraine headache was compared by meta-analysis.  The rate of studies including all migraines was 23.3%, the rate of migraine with aura was 33.3% and the rate of migraine without aura was 30.0%. The rate of studies including general migraine as a headache was 13.3%, and tension-type headache and migraine were used closely. The distribution of content indicator themes was 26.7% for ozone, 23.2% for alternative medicine and 20.0% for complementary medicine. The proportion of studies that included both alternative and complementary medicine was found to be 30.0%. The distribution of effect type indicators according to themes was 26.7% physiological-ozone, 30.0% physiological-acupuncture, 23.3% active substance and 20.0% placebo. Although modern medicine cannot provide a permanent and biological solution for migraine type pain, complementary medicine methods and traditional medicine approaches provide much more than just painkillers for symptoms. In treatment methods such as acupuncture that do not use medical agents, the placebo effect has an important function in the symptomatic treatment of migraine type headaches,