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A review of existing studies of behavioral therapies for treatment of chronic tension-type headache determined they are no more effective than placebo.
Behavioral Treatments of Chronic Tension-Type Headaches
Treatments reviewed in this study include relaxation techniques, biofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy. The study's authors reviewed 44 trials. The vast majority of these were considered to have varying degrees of bias. Those studies that included sufficient controls to show statistical differences often did not reach clinical significance. In other words, the treatments studied were no more effective than no treatment at all.
I don't have any reason to mistrust the results of this study, but I would like to point out that this review does not take into consideration the value of these therapies in helping patients cope with their pain and incapacity. I don't know whether they can prevent or abort headaches, but I know they can help in managing the suffering that so often comes along with pain.
Technorati Tags: news, research, biofeedback, meditation, relaxation, cognitive behavioral therapy, depression, migraines, chronic illness, health, somebody heal me
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Content by Diana E. Lee.DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.
2 comments:
Diana,
This study truly surprises me. It also makes me wonder about how regularly people were using these techniques and how well supported they were in understanding how to use the techniques.
Developing a deep relaxation practice is not the easiest thing to do. When I first started learning (for example) Autogenic Training it took me quite a while to get the hang of it, tune into my body, create greater awareness and get to the point to where the physical changes in my body were amazing! I'm glad I held out and continued to practice. To this day I use Autogenic Training every night before I go to bed, (whether I feel badly or not) because I know the calming the effects it has on my body and mind.
I can also say that from my own experience Deep Relaxation practices such as Autogenic training, Diaphragmatic Breathing, and Passive Progressive Muscle Relaxation have ALL eased my pain during migraine attacks. I can also say that I when I have experienced pre-migraine symptoms and used these techniques religiously I have also been able to alleviate the pre-migraine symptoms and avoid attacks altogether. I've always been very sensetive before a migraine, and so I get clues that one is on the way a good 2-4 days before they hit. I can't say enough about how important these techniques have been in helping me live well with migraine disease.
How often do you use these techniques? And what has your experience been in using them?
I use relaxation and meditation techniques just about every day to cope with my pain. It has helped me get to a place where I can just about deal with it and not just wish for death. Personally I highly, highly recommend these practices for anyone with pain.
Diana
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