If you experience migraines, you understand that your relationship with sound can be complicated. Sound can trigger an attack if you’re in a loud room, but many folks also turn to sound-based relaxation methods to de-stress. Stress is one of the most common migraine triggers after all! Some people exploring sound healing courses also learn about sound-based relaxation techniques that may support overall wellness. So the question is… Can sound therapy help prevent migraines? Or will it just make your migraines worse?
Truthfully, it depends on timing and frequency. Studies on sound therapy for migraines are limited and mixed at best. Sound itself is also a very common migraine trigger when you’re currently experiencing an attack. This article dives into what the science says, how sound may or may not help with migraines, and how to approach wellness sounds like singing bowls if you’re interested in trying them.
Note: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to replace medical advice. Please consult with your doctor or headache specialist before making any changes to your treatment plan, especially if your migraines are new, frequent, or severe.
Understanding the Link Between Sound and Migraines
Phonophobia is clinical term for sensitivity to sound. But before we dive into sound therapy, let’s talk about why migraine and sound often have such a complex relationship to begin with. Sound sensitivity is one of the International Headache Society’s official diagnostic criteria for migraine. About 70 to 80 percent of us will experience it during a migraine attack along with light sensitivity and sometimes smell sensitivity.
Studies with sound testing booths reveal that people with migraine have a lower-than-average threshold for uncomfortable sound volume even when they’re not in the throes of a migraine attack. That threshold becomes even lower when they do have an attack. People with migraine basically have more sensitive ears than others throughout most of their lives, not just when they’re rocking a headache.
Can Sound Therapy Help with Migraines? What the Research Says
The research on sound-based interventions for migraine is limited but growing, and the results so far are mixed rather than conclusive.
- Music listening as a preventive strategy: A small 2021 study following 20 adults with episodic migraine found that about half of participants reported 50 percent fewer migraine attacks after three months of daily instrumental music listening sessions. This points to a possible preventive benefit from regular, low-stimulation listening, rather than sound used during an active attack.
- Mixed results in pediatric studies: A 2013 study of children with migraine found roughly a 20 percent reduction in headache frequency with music therapy, but a similar reduction showed up in the placebo group, which makes it hard to say the music itself drove the improvement.
- HIRREM neurotechnology: An early, exploratory study presented at an American Heart Association scientific session looked at a sound-based brainwave technology, which translates a person’s own brain activity into audible tones played back through earbuds. Participants with migraine showed improvements in head pain, sleep, and mood after a series of sessions, but the researchers themselves noted that more data is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
- Stress reduction has stronger evidence overall: Music therapy has much more consistent research support for general stress relief, and stress is considered a trigger for up to 70 percent of people with migraine. This suggests any migraine benefit from sound-based relaxation may come indirectly, through lower stress levels, rather than sound acting on migraine mechanisms directly.
Taken together, the current evidence suggests sound-based approaches may offer a modest, indirect benefit for some people when used as a calm, low-stimulation practice between attacks, but they are not established treatments and should not replace medical care.
When Sound Might Help vs When It Can Make Migraines Worse
This distinction matters more than almost anything else in this guide.
Sound is more likely to help when:
- You are between attacks, not in the middle of one
- The sound is soft, low-stimulation, and instrumental rather than loud or layered
- You are using it as part of a broader stress management routine, not as a stand-alone treatment
- You already know from experience that quiet, calming audio does not trigger your symptoms
Sound is more likely to hurt when:
- You are in the middle of an active migraine attack, when phonophobia is at its strongest
- The sound is loud, sudden, or sustained at a high volume, such as a gong or a loud group sound bath
- You have not tested how you personally respond to sound-based practices outside of an attack first
- You are using sound therapy instead of, rather than alongside, medical treatment for frequent or severe migraines
If you are unsure which category applies to you, the safest approach is to avoid sound-based practices during an active migraine and only experiment with gentle, quiet options when you are symptom-free.
Types of Sound-Based Approaches Being Studied
A few different approaches fall under the broad label of sound therapy for migraine, and they are not interchangeable.
Instrumental Music Listening
This involves regular, scheduled listening to calm, slow-tempo instrumental music, generally in the 40 to 80 beats per minute range, with fewer instrumental layers. This is the approach used in the small 2021 study mentioned above and is the most studied option among wellness-adjacent sound practices.
Binaural Beats
Binaural beats involve listening to two slightly different tones in each ear, which the brain perceives as a single pulsing tone. Some people use this for relaxation and sleep, though direct evidence specific to migraine remains limited.
HIRREM and Similar Neurotechnology
These are specialized, clinically administered technologies that translate a person’s own brainwave activity into audible tones. They require specific equipment and trained administration, and are not something you can replicate with a general wellness session.
General Relaxation and Grounding Sound Practices
This includes wellness tools like Tibetan or crystal singing bowls, used for general stress reduction rather than migraine-specific treatment. Evidence here is indirect, based on the broader link between stress reduction and lower migraine frequency, rather than migraine-specific clinical trials.
Should You Try Wellness Sound Healing for Migraines?
If you like the idea of singing bowl practices or quiet sound baths, they’re totally fine to try as a general stress reliever with some caveats. Don’t do something new during an active migraine. Ease into it with shorter, quieter sessions and monitor your reaction (some people with sound sensitivity caused by migraine find that what’s relaxing to others actually feels overstimulating). And don’t expect it to take the place of taking your meds, avoiding your triggers, or listening to your doctor.
Sound healing for wellness purposes was never meant to treat migraine, and no legit teacher should ever advertise it that way. It can help prevent migraine the same way it helps with general stress: by providing calm, low-effort ways to help your nervous system function, which may help some people who get stress-related migraines experience fewer/milder attacks.
Other Evidence-Based Ways to Manage Migraine Triggers
Sound-based strategies are most effective when they are only one component of your overall management plan. Evidence-based and generally recommended options include identifying your personal triggers with a headache diary, practicing regular sleep and meal times, staying hydrated, managing stress with techniques such as exercise or therapy, and collaborating with your physician on preventive or abortive medication if you have frequent or severe attacks. A headache specialist can work with you to develop an individualized plan instead of depending on any one treatment strategy.
How to Approach Sound Therapy Safely If You Want to Try It
- Talk to your doctor first, especially if your migraines are frequent, severe, or recently changed in pattern.
- Test during a symptom-free period, never during an active attack, to see how your body responds.
- Start with short, quiet sessions, around five to ten minutes, rather than a full-length sound bath.
- Track your response in a headache diary alongside your other known triggers and symptoms.
- Adjust or stop if you notice any sound-based practice seems to trigger or worsen symptoms.
How Five Elements Fits In
Five Elements is a sound healing school that offers wellness practices such as Tibetan singing bowl and crystal bowl experiences, and is not a clinical or medical facility. Courses offered through Five Elements, including the masterclass and educator certification program teach participants how to use sound for relaxing and unwinding— not how to use sound to heal a diagnosed condition such as migraine.
That being said, if you’re looking for gentle sound practices to implement in addition to medical care to help you manage stress, you can learn more about Five Element’s current offerings on their website. As with any practice that someone with migraine embarks on, we recommend checking in with your doctor or headache specialist.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can sound therapy stop a migraine once it has started?
This is unlikely to help and may make things worse. Sound sensitivity is common during an active attack, so most people should avoid sound-based practices, including music or singing bowls, until the migraine has passed.
- Is there strong scientific evidence that sound therapy prevents migraines?
Not yet. Small studies show some promising results for preventive music listening, but sample sizes are limited and results are mixed, including at least one study where the effect matched the placebo group.
- Are singing bowls safe to use if I have migraines?
They can be worth trying between attacks, in short, quiet sessions, but should never be used as a migraine treatment. Avoid them entirely during an active attack, since sustained sound can worsen phonophobia symptoms.
- Why does sound trigger migraines for some people?
Research shows people with migraine often have a lower threshold for sound intensity than people without migraine, even between attacks, which drops further during an active episode. This heightened sound sensitivity is part of the migraine condition itself.
- What should I do if sound therapy makes my migraines worse?
Stop the practice immediately and speak with your doctor. Everyone’s migraine triggers are different, and any new practice, sound-based or otherwise, should be adjusted based on how your body actually responds.
