Effect of Different Meditation Types on Migraine Headache Medication Use
Open accessAbstract
Spiritual meditation has been found to reduce the frequency of migraines and physiological reactivity to stress. However, little is known about how introducing a spirituality component into a meditation intervention impacts analgesic medication usage. In this study, 92 meditation-naïve participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) Spiritual Meditation, (n = 25), (2) Internally Focused Secular Meditation (n = 23), (3) Externally Focused Secular Meditation (n = 22), or (4) Progressive Muscle Relaxation (n = 22); and practiced their technique for 20 min/day over 30 days while completing daily diaries. Headache frequency, headache severity, and pain medication use were assessed. Migraine frequency decreased in the Spiritual Meditation group compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Headache severity ratings did not differ across groups (p = ns). After adjusting for headache frequency, migraine medication usage decreased in the Spiritual Meditation group compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Spiritual Meditation was found to not affect pain sensitivity, but it does improve pain tolerance with reduced headache related analgesic medication usage.
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MBSR can help decrease headache frequency, lessen pain intensity, and improve related symptoms such as anxiety and depression.
“Several studies have shown that MBSR can help decrease headache frequency, lessen pain intensity, and improve related symptoms such as anxiety and depression.”
From The effectiveness of mindfulness as a complementary therapy in headache patients: a preliminary interventional study (2025) · cites this paper as [6]
Results > Headache Frequency reports fewer migraines in the spiritual-meditation group. But Results > Headache Severity finds no reduction in headache severity, contrary to the pain-intensity part of the claim. The study tested spiritual and secular meditation rather than MBSR, and our copy does not report improvements in anxiety or depression. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredOther RS constructs are, within certain limits, amenable to randomization or manipulation.
“But others are, within certain limits, amenable to such treatments.”
From Advancing our understanding of religion and spirituality in the context of behavioral medicine (2017) · cites this paper as Wachholtz et al., 2015
It is possible to study the effects of spiritual meditation, prayer, or other RS behavioral variables on stress reactivity in the laboratory by including only willing participants, using random assignment with designed controls, and exposing participants to a stressor and measuring stress responses.
“it is quite possible to study the effects of spiritual meditation, prayer, or other RS behavioral variables (e.g., scripture reading) on stress reactivity in the laboratory”
From Advancing our understanding of religion and spirituality in the context of behavioral medicine (2017) · cites this paper as Wachholtz et al., 2015
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References 35 · Cited by 65
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [4]DeMaagd G The phamacological management of migraine, part 1 P T 2008 33 7 404 416 19750119 PMC2740949
- Authors
- Wachholtz, A. B., Malone, C. D., & Pargament, K. I.
- Affiliations
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (US)
- Bowling Green State University
- Corresponding author
- Wachholtz, Amy B.
- ORCID
- Wachholtz, Amy B.
- Venue
- Behavioral Medicine
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2015-07-25
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-8
- ISSN
- 0896-4289 (ISSN-L)
- 1940-4026
- PMC
- PMC4600642
- OpenAlex
- W2025504027
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 4.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Behavioral Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network (American Medical Association) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (K23DA030397)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Migraine and Headache Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Keywords
- meditation, migraine, spiritual meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, analgesic use, headache frequency, headache severity, pain tolerance, pain sensitivity
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Analgesics, Female, Humans, Male, Migraine Disorders, Meditation, Spirituality, Young Adult
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