Comparison of the efficacy of connective tissue massage and manual lymphatic drainage in patients with migraine: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of connective tissue massage (CTM) and manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) on neck pain, disability, quality of life, and pain thresholds in patients with migraine. Methods: A total of 40 migraine patients were randomly assigned to either the CTM or MLD group. Quality of life was assessed using the Short Form-36 (SF-36); pain sensitivity and perception were measured using an algometer, and neck pain was evaluated using the Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPAD). Patients tracked their headaches in a pain diary for 15 days before and after the intervention. Both groups received 45 min of treatment twice a week for six weeks. Results: After treatment, the pain threshold increased significantly, whereas total medication use and the number of pain days decreased in both groups. However, while CTM led to a greater reduction in NPAD scores (p < 0.001), MLD was more effective in improving overall pain management and enhancing quality of life (p = 0.017). Conclusions: These findings suggest that CTM and MLD can help migraine patients, with MLD showing a stronger effect on pain relief and well-being, whereas CTM being more effective in reducing neck pain and disability. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT05976399.