Progressive muscle relaxation and restricted environmental stimulation therapy for chronic tension headache: a pilot study.
Thirty-one patients suffering from chronic tension headache participated in one of four procedures, each of which comprised two one-and-one-half hour sessions per week for 4 weeks. The conditions were: Chamber/Control (both weekly sessions lying on a bed in a dimly-lit room), and three active treatment procedures: Chamber/Tank, one session as above, the other floating in a dark, silent REST tank; Chamber/Relaxation, one as above, one doing progressive muscle relaxation exercises; and Tank/Relaxation, one session floating and one doing progressive muscle relaxation. By 6 months after the end of treatment, complete data had been obtained from 20 subjects. There was a significant overall decrease in headache reports; the active treatment groups collapsed improved significantly more than the control group. At the 6-month followup, the treatment groups showed continuing improvement (57% over end of treatment for the Tank-Relaxation group and a mean of 25% for the other two), whereas the control group had deteriorated by 34% since end of treatment. Clinical improvements were comparable to those of more time- and effort-consuming relaxation therapies, and confirm the usefulness of REST as a long-lasting and versatile treatment in behavioral health.
Wallbaum
A B
AB
University of California, Irvine.
Rzewnicki
R
R
Steele
H
H
Suedfeld
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D012931:Social Environment