Green Light Therapy for Migraine Relief

If you are one of the nearly 3 million Canadians who suffer from migraines (the third most prevalent illness in the world, affecting as many as 1 billion people worldwide), then you know just how debilitating and disruptive to your daily life they can be, as well as how difficult it can sometimes be to find a treatment method that not only works but comes without a long list of side effects. While migraines have long been commonly – and even successfully – treated with two types of medications (acute treatment – used for pain during a migraine as well as different symptoms associated with migraine headache; and preventative treatment – to help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine), there are now newer treatment methods on the market that are gaining popularity among migraine sufferers.

Botulinum toxin type A – better known as Botox – is something that was initially primarily used for cosmetic purposes – for example, to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. However, it is also known to reduce migraine headaches as it essentially works as a roadblock for the neurotransmitters that are responsible for carrying pain signals from your brain and stopping those chemicals before the reach the nerve endings around your head and neck. Typically, someone who suffers from migraine headaches will get Botox injections once every 12 weeks (although it may take two to three rounds of injections before you notice any change in the frequency or severity of your migraines.)

Now, information has come to light about a far less invasive method of treatment that is being tried in effort to help reduce frequency of migraines: Green light therapy.

According to a clinical study conducted by the University of Arizona Health Sciences, it was discovered that individuals who suffer from migraine headaches may benefit from this type of therapy, and that exposure to green light not only reduces the frequency of migraines, but also reduces intensity and therefore helps to improve one’s quality of life. Of those who took part in the study, green light exposure was found to reduce the number of headache days per month by as much as 60%. This nonpharmacological method of therapy can be extremely helpful for individuals who either do not want to be on daily medications for their migraines (oftentimes due to side-effects), or for those who have not responded well to medications or other treatment methods in the past and perhaps want to try other alternative treatment methods.

In addition to improving migraines, this particular type of light therapy has also been shown to improve sleep. At least 6% of Canadians get less than the recommended 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night, and not getting adequate sleep can also be a contributor to migraines along with other health issues, so this green light therapy has many benefits that can improve your overall health and wellbeing.

To learn more about this clinical study and the benefits of green light therapy, visit news.arizona.edu.