A controlled evaluation of thermal biofeedback and thermal biofeedback combined with cognitive therapy in the treatment of vascular headache.
One-hundred-sixteen patients suffering from vascular headache (migraine or combined migraine and tension) were, after 4 weeks of pretreatment baseline headache monitoring, randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (a) thermal biofeedback with adjunctive relaxation training (TBF); (b) TBF plus cognitive therapy; (c) pseudomediation as an ostensible attention-placebo control; or (d) headache monitoring. The first three groups received 16 individual sessions over 8 weeks, while the fourth group continued to monitor headaches. All groups then monitored headaches for a 4-week posttreatment baseline. Analyses revealed that all treated groups improved significantly more than the headache monitoring group with no significant differences among the three treated groups. On a measure of clinically significant improvement, the two TBF groups had slightly higher (51%) degree of improvement than the meditation group (37.5%). It is argued that the attention-placebo control became an active relaxation condition.
Center for Stress and Anxiety Disorders, State University of New York, Albany 12203.
E B
EB
Blanchard
K A
KA
Appelbaum
C L
CL
Radnitz
B
B
Morrill
D
D
Michultka
C
C
Kirsch
P
P
Guarnieri
J
J
Hillhouse
D D
DD
Evans
J
J
Jaccard
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D012881:Skin Temperature; D014653:Vascular Headaches / Q000628:therapy*