Efficacy of mindfulness-based intervention for the treatment of chronic headaches: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Muhammad Aemaz Ur Rehman, Radeyah Waseem, Ume Habiba, Muhammad Fahad Wasim, Soha Alam Rehmani, Maha Alam Rehmani, Maryam Abdullah, Yumna Khabir, Mahnoor Rehan Hashmi, Talal Almas, Syed Shahan Ali, Syed Muhammad Huzaifa Shah, Kaneez Fatima
Annals of Medicine and Surgery June 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.103862 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults with chronic headaches (migraine, tension-type, or cluster headaches) in randomized controlled trials |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cluster headaches Migraine Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Mindfulness-based stress reduction Tension-type headaches |
| Key findings | Across ten randomized controlled trials, mindfulness-based stress reduction/cognitive therapy did not significantly change headache frequency (MD -0.14), headache duration (MD -0.27), or pain intensity (MD -0.19) compared with usual care. The authors attribute the null findings to small samples and high or unclear risk of bias, and suggest larger trials are needed. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based stress reduction/cognitive therapy has attained popularity as an adjunctive treatment for a plethora of medical and psychiatric conditions, however, its impact on chronic headaches is inconclusive. This review aims to assess the impact of MBSR/MBCT in alleviating the symptoms of chronic headaches. PubMed and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from inception till 1st May 2021. Randomized Control Trials evaluating mindfulness-based stress reduction/cognitive therapy with either passive comparators (usual care) or active comparators (e.g., Health education or cognitive behavioral therapy) for chronic headaches (Migraine, Tension-type, or cluster headaches), which evaluated either headache frequency, pain intensity or headache duration as primary outcome were eligible for inclusion. The Risk of Bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias Tool. A total of ten Randomized Controlled Trials (five on migraine; three on tension-type; two with mixed samples) were evaluated. In comparison to usual care, mindfulness-based stress reduction/cognitive therapy did not illustrate significant changes in headache frequency (MD = -0.14; 95% CI -1.26 to 0.97; P = 0.80; Moderate Certainty), headache duration (MD = -0.27; 95% CI -3.51 to 2.97, P = 0.87; Low Certainty) or pain intensity (MD = -0.19; 95% CI -0.46 to 0.07; P = 0.15; Moderate Certainty). The results found are insignificant for the three primary outcomes, which may be due to the low number of participants and often a high or unclear risk of bias in the randomized control trials included. Perhaps more aggressive clinical trials with a larger sample size effectively demonstrate differences in outcomes before and after therapy for MBSR/MBCT could provide a more significant change.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on suicidal thoughts and interleukin-6 levels in depressed adolescents. Journal of Affective Disorders October 1, 2025
- [Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for individuals with chronic headaches]. Orvosi hetilap December 1, 2024
- Perceptions and experiences of adult caregivers receiving mindfulness-based behavioural education: A qualitative study. Malaysian family physician : the official journal of the Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia 2024
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with mindfulness for pain and disability management in migraine patients: a protocol feasibility study MethodsX November 30, 2025
- Part Of the Process, or Adverse Event? Considering the Benefits and Potential Risks of Mindfulness-based Interventions for Migraine. Current Pain and Headache Reports September 16, 2025
and 2 more in the library
Cites 8
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for treating chronic headache: A systematic review and meta-analysis Cephalalgia June 4, 2018
- Enhanced mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR+) in episodic migraine: a randomized clinical trial with MRI outcomes Pain March 13, 2020
- Does Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Migraine Reduce Migraine-Related Disability in People with Episodic and Chronic Migraine? A Phase 2b Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain September 26, 2019
- Conducting a pilot randomized controlled trial of community-based mindfulness-based stress reduction versus usual care for moderate-to-severe migraine: protocol for the Mindfulness and Migraine Study (M&M). Trials May 6, 2019
- Mindfulness for female outpatients with chronic primary headaches: an internet-based bibliotherapy. European journal of translational myology April 24, 2018
and 3 more in the library