“Migraines and chronic pain can be relieved without medication”? Here is what the study says

Migraine headaches or menstrual pain can also be relieved through physical activity, without the need for medication in some cases.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide analysed 157 systematic reviews, with over 2,700 clinical trials and more than 220,000 participants. They saw that physical activity and exercise can help reduce various kinds of pain, from migraines and menstrual pain to chronic pain.

On a scale from zero to ten, physical activity reduced pain on average by about 1.1 points.

But more exercise does not necessarily mean better results. The study shows that low-intensity activity can be more effective, while programmes lasting about 12 weeks gave better results than longer ones.

The researchers also stress that less than 120 minutes of physical activity per week can be enough to bring benefits.

However, exercise is not a universal solution. Experts call for clearer guidelines to determine which activity is most suitable for each patient.