title: Effect of Yoga on migraine: A comprehensive study using clinical profile and cardiac autonomic functions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Migraine is an episodic disabling headache requiring long-term management. Migraine management through Yoga therapy would reduce the medication cost with positive health benefits. Yoga has shown to improve the quality of life, reduce the episode of headache and medication. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of Yoga as an adjuvant therapy in migraine patients by assessing clinical outcome and autonomic functions tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  Migraine patients were randomly given either conventional care (n = 30) or Yoga with conventional care (n = 30). Yoga group received Yoga practice session for 5 days a week for 6 weeks along with conventional care. Clinical assessment (frequency, intensity of headache and headache impact) and autonomic function test were done at baseline and at the end of the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Yoga with conventional care and convention care groups showed significant improvement in clinical variables, but it was better with Yoga therapy. Improvement in the vagal tone along with reduced sympathetic activity was observed in patients with migraine receiving Yoga as adjuvant therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intervention showed significant clinical improvement in both groups. Headache frequency and intensity were reduced more in Yoga with conventional care than the conventional care group alone. Furthermore, Yoga therapy enhanced the vagal tone and decreased the sympathetic drive, hence improving the cardiac autonomic balance. Thus, Yoga therapy can be effectively incorporated as an adjuvant therapy in migraine patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, SS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Davangere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Ravikiran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kisan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Mu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sujan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Meghana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adoor
authors.affiliation: Department of CAM, Senior Scientist and Head, Bangalore Institute of Oncology, Health Care Global Ent, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Raghavendra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nalini
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Bindu M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kutty
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Medicine, Jindal Pg Institute Of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Bt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chindanda Murthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Tr
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Tn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sathyaprabha
keywords: Autonomic functions; Yoga; conventional care; migraine