Music Intervention on Migraine Headaches
Condition: Migraine Headache
MeSH terms: Migraine Disorders; Headache
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Migraine is a frequent pathology, highly linked to anxio-depressive factors. Non-drug
      approaches are part of the therapeutic arsenal. Music therapy is a recent discipline
      expanding in hospital services and specialised ambulatory centers. The main objective of this
      study is to assess the effect of " U " technique in receptive music therapy on migraine
      frequency, on patients suffering from episodic migraines, through " Music care " software
      home use. Secondary objectives are to assess this technique impact on migraine intensity,
      duration, emotional effect (HAD score), functional impact (HIT-6 score), and acute treatment
      administration. This is a monocentric prospective before-after study carried out in chronic
      pain department of the CHU Sud Reunion.
    

Detailed description: 
      Despite converging evidence that music interventions are beneficial in a number of pain
      domains, additional research is needed to understand the impact of a music intervention on
      the debilitating nature of migraine headaches. Interestingly, a recently developed smartphone
      application called Music Care has been introduced as a music-intervention tool; however music
      type is controlled by the individual. A patient-controlled music intervention administered by
      Music Care has shown to alleviate negative psychological (e.g., depression) and physiological
      (e.g., pain and discomfort) outcomes associated with general chronic pain. However, no study
      has examined how music interventions administered via Music Care may be beneficial for
      individuals who experience migraines, thus potentially highlighting the effects of receptive
      music techniques in music therapy.

      Therefore, the present investigation sought to examine the potential benefits of a
      patient-controlled, 3-month music intervention in individuals diagnosed with migraine
      headaches using the Music Care application. Patients from the university hospital center Sud
      Reunion (Saint Pierre, Reunion Island, France) within the Chronic Pain Consultation Group
      will be evaluated for inclusion in the study and will complete the 3-month music
      intervention. Participants will complete 1-2 sessions of listening to music per day, with a
      minimum of 15 sessions per month.

      The following measures will be collected: the frequency of migraine attacks, the average
      duration of migraine attacks and the average intensity of migraine attacks. Patients will
      also rate levels of anxiety and depression associated with migraine headaches via the
      Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The impact migraines have on everyday level of
      functioning will be evaluated using the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6).

      This is a pilot study, non-randomized, single arm and single center study.
    

Intervention name(s): Music Therapy
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): The music intervention is administered via a smartphone- (and computer-) based application called Music Care. The Music Care app is a receptive music intervention, allowing the patient to freely adjust the length of and choose the preferred style between different sequences of instrumental music. All musical pieces were recorded in high-quality recording studios with professional musicians. Music Care utilizes the "U" technique designed to gradually relax the listener. The "U" technique is implemented using a musical sequence of 20 minutes that was divided into 5 different musical pieces at 3 to 4 minutes each.
Participants will complete 1-2 sessions of listening to music per day, with a minimum of 15 sessions per month.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Intervention model description: A monocentric prospective before-after study on patients carried out in chronic pain department of the CHU Sud Reunion. Patients will be evaluated for inclusion in the study, and will complete the 3-month music intervention. Participants will complete 1-2 sessions of listening to music per day, with a minimum of 15 sessions per month. Before starting the musicotherapy program, retrospective data will be collected on the month prior regarding migraine attacks (frequency, severity, duration, treatment intake).
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Migraine; Headache; Music intervention; Pain; Smartphone application