Effectiveness of complementary therapeutic methods in the treatment of migraine

Migraine is one of the most globally disabling neurological conditions, affecting millions of people and imposing a high socioeconomic burden, in addition to severely compromising quality of life. Preventive pharmacological treatment is often challenging, with high discontinuation rates due to adverse effects and ineffectiveness in a significant portion of patients. Given this therapeutic gap and the growing search for safer options, the objective of this study was to summarize the effectiveness of the main complementary therapeutic methods in migraine management. This is an integrative literature review, conducted in December 2024, searching the PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, and MedLine databases. Full original articles with an experimental study design, such as randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews, were included. After rigorous screening against eligibility criteria, 10 articles were selected and analyzed. The results showed that acupuncture is the most frequently studied complementary technique in the literature, demonstrating sustained effectiveness, superiority in some cases when compared to drugs like topiramate, and a favorable safety profile with few side effects. Other therapies, such as non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation and transcranial stimulation, also showed promising results. It is concluded that complementary therapeutic methods represent an effective and safe non-pharmacological strategy, with the potential to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine pain, and should be integrated into conventional treatment through a multiprofessional approach.