EMG biofeedback and the treatment of tension headaches: A systematic analysis of treatment components

Abstract

Thirty-two chronic headache sufferers were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. One group received contingent EMG feedback with instructions to lower muscle activity using the feedback. The second group received contingent EMG feedback with instruction to maintain basal muscle activity levels using the feedback. A third group, an attention placebo control, meditated on a noncontingent feedback tone. The fourth group controlled for the effects of hourly headache charting and notations of headache prone situations. Only the two EMG feedback groups showed a significant reduction in headache activity. At the 6-month follow-up, the EMG-induced relaxation group had begun to show a return of headache activitym, while the EMG stability training group evidenced a continued reduction in headache activity. These findings provide strong support for the assumption that EMG feedback is a critical component in the treatment of tension heacaches and further suggest a possible procedure to facilitate the transfer of therapeutic gains.