Kiatsu® Migraine Research: Potential Participant Information
Thank you for checking into participation in our study: The effect of Kiatsu therapy on episodic migraine: a pilot project. The study is free of charge.
NOTE: The study is no longer accepting applicants at this time. Thank you for your interest!
Kiatsu is a gentle hands-on therapy involving energy flow and gentle pressure. We have observed students experience a significant reduction in migraine as they participate in the Personal Kiatsu School.
This study is a pilot study to determine objectively if the same benefit can be obtained when the training is given in a condensed program in a clinical setting.
Initially, the study will be limited to women between the ages of 18 years and 50 years, inclusive. We hope to study men and children in subsequent years.
If you answer yes to all of the following questions, you may be eligible to enter the study. Participation will be limited to 25 people.
- Are you a woman of at least 18 years of age and not older than 50 years of age?
- Have you suffered frequent migraines, 3 or more separate migraines a month, for at least 1 year?
- Are the following true of you: You do not suffer from medication overuse headache; you do not use antipsychotic or anti-depressant medication; you do not abuse alcohol or abuse other recreational drugs; you do not use daily benzodiazepine or narcotic medications; you do not currently suffer from painful cervical nerve compression?
- Are you interested in the potential benefits of hands-on Kiatsu therapy and meditation/relaxation training and mind, body and spirit unification training to help reduce the frequency and pain of migraines?
- Do you live in the Eugene/Springfield area or the Portland Metro? Can you can travel to either Eugene, Oregon or Portland, Oregon to receive training in relaxation and meditation techniques, and to receive Kiatsu therapy for a period of 7 months beginning in October of 2017?
- Are you are willing, for a period of 7 months, to spend 5 minutes a day 3-7 times a week filling out a migraine diary and twice fill out a Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Survey to be accessed online or on a smartphone app?
- Are you are willing, for one month, to attend weekly sessions initially one hour in therapy sessions and subsequently 1/2 to 1 hour receiving Kiatsu treatment and training in relaxation, meditation, and mind, body and spirit unification?
- Are you are willing to receive a 1/2 to 1 hour session of Kiatsu, relaxation and meditation training and training in mind, body and spirit unification once a month for the subsequent 5 months?
If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then you may be eligible to participate in this free and unique investigative study. The study is being conducted at South Hilyard Clinic in Eugene, Oregon and at the Personal Kiatsu School in Tigard, Oregon.
After a visit with Dr. Terry Copperman to review the study, confirm eligibility, provide informed consent, and enroll in the study, participants will be given access to an on-line diary. A smartphone friendly website for diary entry will also be available. At the start of the study participants will enter the number of separate migraines and the number and kinds of medicines they took for their migraines at least 3 and as many as 7 times a week. Diary entries will be continued every week for the duration of the study. After four weeks of entries to establish the baseline number of migraines participants have, participants will begin to meet with Dr. Copperman and instructors of the Personal Kiatsu School once a week for Kiatsu therapy, instruction in Ki Breathing (a deep breathing technique for energy and relaxation), posture improvement, and training in mind, body and spirit unification. Participants will be asked to incorporate the training into their personal daily routines so as to get the benefits for migraine prevention. The initial visit will be close to an hour. Subsequent visits will vary according to need, but likely will be around 1/2 hour. After 4 weeks of once a week therapy, participants will receive visits for therapy and continued instruction once a month for 5 months.
The number of migraines experienced and the amounts of medicine needed in the last 4 weeks of the study for all participants combined will be compared to the number in the first 4 weeks before the therapy visits started.
Participants are free to leave the study at any time they decide to withdraw.