Entries tagged as Headache

A Clinical Outcome Study Of Neurofeedback And Biofeedback For Migraine Headache

On February 2, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Featured, Headache, Neurofeedback / No Comments

In a recent meta-analysis involving biofeedback for the treatment of migraine, Grade A evidence [6] was found for the efficacy of the above methods which proved stable over a 17 month follow-up phase [5]. Numerous studies explore peripheral biofeedback [5] but scant studies exist on using neurofeedback methods to treat migraine [7-11]. Although the current study discussed today looks at neurofeedback, it is not the sole intervention. Instead of providing only neurofeedback protocols as the sole modality, the lead author, who is a clinician in private practice, decided early on to utilize evidence-based thermal biofeedback methods in addition to the neurofeedback in order to maximize the patient’s chances of success. (continue reading)

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Migraine And Depression May Share Genetic Components

On January 23, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Depression, Headache / No Comments

New research shows that migraine and depression may share a strong genetic component. The research is published in the January 13, 2010, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “Understanding the genetic factors that contribute to these disabling disorders could one day lead to better strategies to manage the course of these diseases when they occur together,” said Andrew Ahn, MD, PhD, of the University of Florida in Gainesville, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study and is a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “In the meantime, people with migraine or depression should tell their doctors about any family history of either disease to help us better understand the link between the two.” (continue reading)

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Biofeedback May Be An Effective Treatment For Migraine Headache

On April 2, 2009 / By Chris Fisher / In Biofeedback, Headache / No Comments

migraine-headacheMigraine headache afflicts 18% of women and 7% of men in the United States*. A recent meta-analysis* found that various forms of biofeedback may be an effective treatment for migraine headache. The primary peripheral biofeedback modalities under investigation included electromyography (EMG), skin temperature (TEMP), and heart rate variability (HRV) [referred to as blood-volume-pulse feedback in this article]. The meta-analysis consisted of 55 studies with a total of 2,229 participants. Biofeedback therapies were compared against one another and to placebo conditions, relaxation techniques, and pharmacotherapy. Some participants received biofeedback plus relaxation. (more…)

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Biofeedback Applications for Tension-Type Headache: Results of a Meta-Analysis

On January 24, 2009 / By Chris Fisher / In Biofeedback, Headache / No Comments

child_poutingNestoriuc, Rief, & Martin (2008)* conducted a meta-analysis of biofeedback applications for tension-type headache (TTH).  A meta-analysis combines data from published studies that meet inclusion criteria to increase statistical power and the ability to detect a statistically meaningful treatment effect, often expressed as an “effect size.”  The researchers provide an overview of TTH and report that episodic (versus chronic) TTH is the most prevalent type of headache in adults, adolescents, and children with a 1 year prevalence rate of 38%. Wow!  The researchers further report that pharmacotherapy (anti-depressants and analgesics) is the most common form of treatment, but that medications are only moderately effective and can have significant side effects.  Thus, behavioral interventions, including biofeedback, may represent a promising alternative or complimentary treatment if demonstrated to be effective. (more…)

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