Abstract
Introduction: Migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, moderate-to-severe throbbing headaches, often unilateral. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a safe, non-invasive therapy that has been recognized for its potential efficacy in supporting the treatment of patients with migraine. Objectives: To evaluate changes in headache outcomes after rTMS treatment in patients with migraine. Materials and methods: Descriptive study, a single-group pre–post study design without a control group. 50 patients diagnosed with migraine in the study were treated by rTMS. Treatment consisted of 15 high-frequency (20 Hz) rTMS sessions, delivered over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in Tam Anh General Hospital Hanoi from 1/2024 to 6/2026. Results: A total of 50 patients (7 males and 43 females) with a mean age of 47,64 ± 13,12 years were included. At baseline, the mean headache frequency was 17,82 ± 8,45 days/month, the mean headache intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) was 5,72 ± 1,46, and the mean Headache Index was 98,86 ± 54,46. The quality of life, assessed using the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6), had a mean score of 59,42 ± 8,51. Follow-up evaluations at 1 month and 2 months after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment demonstrated statistically significant reductions in headache frequency, headache intensity, Headache Index, and HIT-6 scores compared with baseline. At the 2-month follow-up, 80% of patients achieved a ≥50% reduction in the Headache Index. Reported adverse effects included dizziness (4%) and pain at the stimulation site (4%), both of them were transient and resolved spontaneously. No serious adverse event was reported. Conclusion: After rTMS treatment, patients with migraine demonstrated reductions in headache frequency, pain intensity measured by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Headache Index, and HIT-6 scores at both 1-month and 2-month follow-up compared with baseline. No serious adverse event was observed. These findings suggest that rTMS is a safe, non-invasive neuromodulation technique with potential as an adjunctive treatment for migraine.
