Yoga May Help with Migraines and Fibromyalgia Pain
Two conditions that commonly cause people to live with pain include fibromyalgia and migraines. Those who experience these conditions often live with ongoing pain that impacts their overall well-being, quality of life, and keeps them from doing the things they enjoy. New research that has come
out puts yoga in the spotlight as something that may help with the pain from both of these conditions, making it something worth exploring.
The first study, published in the October 2025 issue of the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine, put yoga to the test to see if it would help alleviate the chronic pain those with fibromyalgia experience (1). The researchers looked at published studies on the topic, dating back to 2005. Over that 20-year period, they reviewed any studies that fit the criteria. They included three studies that had 116 female participants who had fibromyalgia pain.
Researchers found that yoga may help those who have fibromyalgia reduce pain, as well as lead to improvements in fatigue, depression, anxiety, muscle strength, and coping strategies. When a follow-up was conducted, the gains that the women experienced were still largely maintained.
In another study, published in the December 2025 issue of the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine, researchers set out to determine if yoga could help bring pain relief to those who get chronic migraine headaches (2). They report their findings from a study that focused on providing
those who get chronic migraines with a 12-week relaxation or pranayama yoga program. Both types of yoga focus on relaxation, helping to regulate the autonomic nervous system. The study included 90 adults who were split into two groups, with one participating in relaxation yoga and the other in
pranayama yoga.
The study found that there was a significant clinical improvement from participating in either of the programs. Participants had a significant reduction in headache frequency, pain intensity, and disability scores. They also had an improvement in quality of life, as well as a significant reduction in
resting heart rate and blood pressure. They report that yoga is one of the most popular mind-body therapies worldwide, which features postures, breathing techniques, relaxation, and meditation. Plus, the yoga was well tolerated by participants, and there were no adverse events.
There have been many other studies that have demonstrated that practicing yoga can help with a wide variety of chronic pain issues. Additionally, it provides additional benefits that people may find helpful to improve their quality of life. Those who would like to try doing yoga regularly to see if it can
help with their pain may want to find a local class at a fitness center, gym, yoga studio, or use free online videos to do it from home. Yoga mats, which help to make it more comfortable in many postures, can be purchased for around $10 at many stores, making it affordable to get started.
Sources:
1. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. The Role of Yoga as Mind-Body Exercise in Fibromyalgia Management. October 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41176184/
2. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. Yoga-based breathing and relaxation as adjunctive therapy for chronic migraine. December 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41176182/
