The psychosocial impact of migraines on women and alternative therapies for migraine management

Authors: Pirthiraj Ashalya, Bhagwan RaisuyahJournal: Health SA = SA GesondheidPublished: January 1, 2023DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v28i0.2249

Limited EvidenceQualitativen=12 participants

Migraines

In Plain Language: migraines, explained

Migraines are one of the leading causes of disability globally and in South Africa. There is a paucity of local empirical literature regarding the psychosocial impact of migraines on women. Although there are a variety of treatment approaches, many women prefer alternative and holistic treatment for their migraines. The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial impact of migraines on women and their use of complementary and alternative therapies for migraine pain management. The study was conducted in the eThekwini region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants for the study. Data were collected through 12 semi-structured interviews and subsequently analysed using thematic analysis. Theme 1 related to the psychological and cognitive effects experienced by the participants. Theme 2 focused on the effects migraines had on personal, family and social relationships. Theme 3 discussed the self-management of migraines. The pertinent psychological effects of migraines were depression, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness and withdrawal, fear-avoidance behaviour, lifestyle changes, and acceptance of migraines. The participants experienced a lack of understanding about their migraine severity from co-workers, family and social networks. The alternative therapies that were sought to alleviate migraine symptoms included chiropractic, massage, meditation, reflexology, yoga, cupping and acupuncture. The awareness of the effectiveness of complementary and alternative therapies for women may be beneficial for healthcare providers seeking a multidisciplinary approach to migraine management.

Key Findings: what this qualitative study found about migraines

✓Migraines produce significant psychological and cognitive effects on affected women, including impacts on mental health and cognitive functioning.
✓Migraines negatively affect women's personal, family, and social relationships, disrupting their ability to maintain these connections.
✓Many women in South Africa prefer complementary and alternative therapies over conventional treatments for managing migraine pain.

What This Means for You

While this small study mentions reflexology as one therapy women use for migraines, the evidence is limited and the research didn't specifically test whether reflexology actually works—only that women chose to try it.

What This Means for Practitioners

This qualitative research identifies reflexology as an alternative therapy women with migraines seek out, suggesting there is client interest in your services for this condition, though rigorous evidence for its effectiveness is lacking.

Study Design: how this qualitative study was run

Sample Size

12 participants

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Migraines: common questions

What does this study say about migraines?

What did this study find?

Migraines produce significant psychological and cognitive effects on affected women, including impacts on mental health and cognitive functioning. Migraines negatively affect women's personal, family, and social relationships, disrupting their ability to maintain these connections. Many women in South Africa prefer complementary and alternative therapies over conventional treatments for managing migraine pain.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a qualitative study and we rate its evidence limited. It covers 12 participants. It was published in Health SA = SA Gesondheid. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.