Exercise reduces migraine suffering

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, March 27 (UPI) -- Physical exercise can trigger migraine headaches but Swedish researchers say exercise can be well tolerated by migraine patients.

Study co-author Dr. Emma Varke of the Cephalea Headache Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, said the study involved a sample of migraine sufferers who were examined before, during and after an aerobic exercise intervention.

The program was based on indoor cycling -- for continuous aerobic exercise -- and was designed to improve maximal oxygen uptake without worsening the patients' migraines.

The study, published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, found that after the treatment period, patients' maximum oxygen uptake increased significantly.

There was no worsening of migraine status at any time during the study period and, during the last month of treatment, there was a significant decrease in the number of migraine attacks, the number of days with migraine per month, headache intensity and amount of headache medication used.

People with headache and migraine typically are less physically active than those without headache, and may often avoid exercise, resulting in less aerobic endurance and flexibility, Varke said.