Green Light and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Migraine Patients: A Preliminary Randomized Control Trial

Background: Migraine is a complex neurological condition characterized by a range of symptoms, such as intense to severe headaches, sensitivity to light and sound, and feelings of nausea and vomiting. The most common complaints regarding acute treatment are that medication causes adverse effects, that pain returns, or that pain relief is either too slow or inconsistent. Certain non-pharmacological methods, such as non-invasive neuromodulators, might be beneficial for alleviating migraines and require evidence for clinical judgment. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the effects and compare the effects of green light and transcranial direct current stimulation on migraine frequency, intensity, impact, and quality of life. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 69 migraine patients of both genders aged over 18 years, experiencing headache attacks lasting more than 4 h, characterized by pulsating and unilateral pain with an intensity of 5 or higher on the numeric pain scale. Active tDCS, sham tDCS, and green light, along with prescribed medications, were applied to Groups A, B, and C, respectively, for four weeks. The outcomes were measured at baseline, week 2, and week 4 for primary outcomes, including a structured headache diary, numeric pain scale, multidimensional pain inventory, and migraine-specific quality of life version 2.1 as a secondary variable. Results: Significant results were found for the NPS and MSQ with a p-value < 0.05 between and within the groups. There was a substantial reduction in pain intensity and improved quality of life in all three groups. Group A and Group C had p-values < 0.05 for most of the subscales of MPI, showing decreased pain interference, enhanced support, improved emotional function, and increased participation in everyday activities. Medication dependency in Group A was reduced to four weeks with 22 (95.7%) with 'no medication' use. The number of migraine attacks in Group A at four weeks reduced to 'no attack' for 7 (30.4%) participants, showing a reduction in both the number of attacks and their duration to 1-5 h in 12 (52.2%) participants. Conclusions: Both tDCS and green light therapy were found to be effective non-pharmacological therapies for reducing pain intensity, frequency, impact, and drug usage and for improving the quality of life of migraine patients. However, tDCS showed an advantage in terms of reducing pain intensity and its impact on daily living, while green light therapy showed a slightly greater improvement in quality of life.