Improvements In Headache Activity Research Articles

Moderation and mediation in the psychological and drug treatment of chronic tension-type headache: The role of disorder severity and psychiatric comorbidity

We evaluated two putative moderators of treatment outcome as well as the role of Headache Management Self-Efficacy (HMSE) in mediating treatment outcomes in the drug and non-drug treatment of chronic tension-type headache (CTTH). Subjects were 169 participants (M=38yrs.; 77% female; M headache days/mo.=22) who received one of four treatments in the treatment of CTTH trial (JAMA, 2001; 285: 2208–15): tricyclic antidepressant medication, placebo, (cognitive-behavioral) stress-management therapy plus placebo, and stress-management therapy plus antidepressant medication. Severity of CTTH disorder and the presence of a psychiatric (mood or anxiety) disorder were found to moderate outcomes obtained with the three active treatments and with placebo, as well as to moderate the role of HMSE in mediating improvements. Both moderator effects appeared to reflect the differing influence of the moderator variable on each of the three active treatments, as well as the fact that the moderator variables exerted the opposite effect on placebo than on the active treatments. HMSE mediated treatment outcomes in the two stress-management conditions, but the pattern of HMSE mediation was complex, varying with the treatment condition, the outcome measure, and the moderator variable. Irrespective of the severity of the CTTH disorder HMSE fully mediated observed improvements in headache activity in the two stress-management conditions. However, for patients with a mood or anxiety disorder HMSE only partially mediated improvements in headache disability, suggesting an additional therapeutic mechanism is required to explain observed improvements in headache disability in the two stress-management conditions.

A Response: Change Mechanisms in EMG Biofeedback Training Revisited

Forty-three college students suffering from recurrenttension headache were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 elec-tromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training conditions.Although all subjects were led to believe they were learn-ing to decrease frontal EMG activity, actual feedback wascontingent on decreased EMG activity for half of the sub-jectsandincreasedEMGactivityfortheotherhalf.Withinthese 2 groups, subjects also viewed bogus video displaysdesignedtoconvincethemtheywereachievinglarge(highsuccess) or small (moderate success) reductions in EMGactivity. Regardless of actual changes in EMG activity,subjects receiving high-success feedback showed substan-tially greater improvement in headache activity (53%)than subjects receiving moderate success feedback (26%).Performance feedback was also related to changes inlocus of control and self-efficacy. Changes in these 2 cog-nitive variables during biofeedback training were alsocorrelated with reductions in headache activity followingtreatment, whereas changes in EMG activity exhibitedduring training were uncorrelated with outcome. Theseresults suggest that the effectiveness of EMG biofeedbacktraining with tension headache may be mediated by cog-nitive changes induced by performance feedback and notprimarily by reductions in EMG activity.

Change Mechanisms in EMG Biofeedback Training: Cognitive Changes Underlying Improvements in Tension Headache

Forty-three college students suffering from recurrent tension headache were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training conditions. Although all subjects were led to believe they were learning to decrease frontal EMG activity, actual feedback was contingent on decreased EMG activity for half of the subjects and increased EMG activity for the other half. Within these 2 groups, subjects also viewed bogus video displays designed to convince them they were achieving large (high success) or small (moderate success) reductions in EMG activity. Regardless of actual changes in EMG activity, subjects receiving high-success feedback showed substantially greater improvement in headache activity (53%) than subjects receiving moderate success feedback (26%). Performance feedback was also related to changes in locus of control and self-efficacy. Changes in these 2 cognitive variables during biofeedback training were also correlated with reductions in headache activity following treatment, whereas changes in EMG activity exhibited during training were uncorrelated with outcome. These results suggest that the effectiveness of EMG biofeedback training with tension headache may be mediated by cognitive changes induced by performance feedback and not primarily by reductions in EMG activity.

Headstrong: A Pilot Study of a CD-ROM Intervention for Recurrent Pediatric Headache

To empirically evaluate a minimal therapist contact CD-ROM pain management program for recurrent pediatric headache developed as part of this study. Participants were 37 children aged 7-12 attending a pediatric neurology clinic for evaluation of recurrent headache. Children who were randomly assigned to the treatment group worked through the CD-ROM program on home computers for 4 weeks following baseline assessment, whereas those assigned to the wait-list group continued following the prescriptions of their neurologist. Data on daily headache activity and headache-related disability were collected at baseline and up to 3 months after treatment. Children who received the adjunctive CD-ROM program had significant improvements in headache activity above and beyond those in the control group. Results provide initial support for the utility of adding an adjunctive CD-ROM psychological intervention to standard medical care for recurrent pediatric headache and potentially other chronic pain conditions in children.

Management of Chronic Tension-Type Headache With Tricyclic Antidepressant Medication, Stress Management Therapy, and Their Combination

Chronic tension-type headaches are characterized by near-daily headaches and often are difficult to manage in primary practice. Behavioral and pharmacological therapies each appear modestly effective, but data are lacking on their separate and combined effects. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of behavioral and pharmacological therapies, singly and combined, for chronic tension-type headaches. Randomized placebo-controlled trial conducted from August 1995 to January 1998 at 2 outpatient sites in Ohio. Two hundred three adults (mean age, 37 years; 76% women) with diagnosis of chronic tension-type headaches (mean, 26 headache d/mo). Participants were randomly assigned to receive tricyclic antidepressant (amitriptyline hydrochloride, up to 100 mg/d, or nortriptyline hydrochloride, up to 75 mg/d) medication (n = 53), placebo (n = 48), stress management (eg, relaxation, cognitive coping) therapy (3 sessions and 2 telephone contacts) plus placebo (n = 49), or stress management therapy plus antidepressant medication (n = 53). Monthly headache index scores calculated as the mean of pain ratings (0-10 scale) recorded by participants in a daily diary 4 times per day; number of days per month with at least moderate pain (pain rating >/=5), analgesic medication use, and Headache Disability Inventory scores, compared by intervention group. Tricyclic antidepressant medication and stress management therapy each produced larger reductions in headache activity, analgesic medication use, and headache-related disability than placebo, but antidepressant medication yielded more rapid improvements in headache activity. Combined therapy was more likely to produce clinically significant (>/=50%) reductions in headache index scores (64% of participants) than antidepressant medication (38% of participants; P =.006), stress management therapy (35%; P =.003), or placebo (29%; P =.001). On other measures the combined therapy and its 2 component therapies produced similar outcomes. Our results indicate that antidepressant medication and stress management therapy are each modestly effective in treating chronic tension-type headaches. Combined therapy may improve outcome relative to monotherapy.

Age comparisons in acquiring biofeedback control and success in reducing headache pain.

This article presents a review and archival analysis to assess age differences in acquiring biofeedback control and success in treating recurrent headache by using data from 56 studies with either adult (total N = 503) or child (total N = 98) subjects. All studies focused on treating headache with temperature biofeedback (TBF) or electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback. To standardize the varied measures across studies, we calculated each study's percent change scores for biofeedback performance and headache activity. All headache activity scores included assessments of pain intensity. We then calculated subject-weighted means of percent change for biofeedback performance and for headache activity by summing the products of each relevant percent change score and N and then dividing by the total number of subjects contributing to those sums. Results showed that both children and adults reported substantial improvements in headache activity with TBF and EMG biofeedback treatment (Ms ranged from 34% to 81%), but children showed significantly greater improvement than adults. No age differences were found in the acquisition of biofeedback control. Further analyses revealed two additional findings. First, biofeedback control and headache improvement were strongly correlated. Second, headache activity continued to decrease in the weeks following treatment, and this decrease was significantly greater for children than adults.

Preliminary investigation of associations of illness schemata and treatment-induced reduction in headaches.

This study examined how illness schemata-ways people organize information about illness-change over the course of cognitive-behavioral treatment of chronic headache and the extent to which such changes predict reduction of headache. 73 subjects with chronic migraine, mixed migraine and tension, or tension headache were classified on the basis of outcome from imagery-based treatment as Treatment-responders (n = 24). Treatment nonresponders (n = 27), and Monitoring Controls (n = 22). Self-reported illness schemata related to the seriousness and changeability of headache were assessed at pretreatment and 8-wk. follow-up. While groups did not differ on pretreatment measures of illness schemata, at follow-up the Treatment responder group reported higher Changeability scores than Treatment-nonresponders and Control subjects and lower Seriousness scores than Control subjects. Headache reduction at follow-up was related to follow-up Changeability scores, in-session changes in systolic blood pressure and reported posttreatment expectations of headache activity, but not pretreatment measures of illness schemata. Findings indicate that improvements in headache activity are not influenced by the severity of headaches and may change prior to cognitive-behavioral treatment. Rather, among individuals who show decreases in headache activity, changes in beliefs about illness and headache reduction may have reciprocal relations both of which result from cognitive behavioral treatment.

A comparison of pharmacological (amitriptyline HCL) and nonpharmacological (cognitive)ehavioral) therapies for chronic tension headaches.

Forty-one recurrent tension headache sufferers were randomly assigned to either cognitive-behavioral therapy (administered in a primarily home-based treatment protocol) or to amitriptyline therapy (with dosage individualized at 25, 50, or 75 mg/day). Cognitive-behavioral therapy and amitriptyline each yielded clinically significant improvements in headache activity, both when improvement was assessed with patient daily recordings (56% and 27% reduction in headache index, respectively), and when improvement was assessed with neurologist ratings of clinical improvement (94% and 69% of patients rated at least moderately improved, respectively). In instances where differences in treatment effectiveness were observed (headache index, somatic complaints, perceptions of control of headache activity), cognitive-behavioral therapy yielded somewhat more positive outcomes than did amitriptyline. Neither treatment, however, eliminated headache problems.

Cognitive coping skills training and relaxation training as treatments for tension headaches

Twenty-three tension headache subjects completed eight weekly sessions of small group treatment either with progressive relaxation therapy or with cognitive therapy. Compared with previous literature, the magnitude of improvements in the Headache Index in the cognitive therapy condition was similar to that typically observed in active psychological treatment conditions, and larger than that typically observed in placebo conditions. Improvements in the relaxation condition were within the range commonly observed for medication placebos, and smaller than those reported previously by others. The proportion of subjects showing clinically significant (≥50%) improvement in headache activity was greater for cognitive than for relaxation therapy. Of the two components of the Headache Index, one (mean number of days per week with a headache) clearly differentiated the two groups, whereas the other (mean severity of the worst headache of the week) did not. Both treatments appeared to produce improvements in self-rated ability to cope with headaches. Improvement in headache did not appear to be mediated by therapeutic expectancies.

Chronic headaches in adolescents: Treatment in a school setting with relaxation training as compared with information-contact and self-registration

An experimental study was conducted on 33 adolescent students with various types of chronic headaches (tension and combined tension and migraine headaches), all treated in a school setting. After a 4-week baseline period during which the subjects rated their headache activity, they were randomly assigned to a 9-session relaxation training programme or to an information-contact condition, both contrasted with an untreated self-registration group. Relaxation therapy alone led to significant improvement in headache activity, particularly in reduction of the frequency of complaints which still was significantly reduced at a 6-month follow-up evaluation. The effects obtained in the information-contact condition were comparable to those in the self-registration group, both achieving only minor improvements after treatment or at the follow-up assessment. The majority of students in the relaxation treatment, however, was much improved, attaining more than 50% reduction in headache activity. The findings in the present study are consistent with results from similar treatment outcome studies, reported on adult populations with chronic headaches, and demonstrate that relaxation training programmes can be of substantial help in a school setting.

Temperature self-regulation and relaxation with migraine patients and normals

Ten migraine headache subjects and 10 non-migraine subjects were divided equally into two groups: a progressive relaxation group and a finger temperature biofeedback group. Finger temperature, temporal artery pulse amplitude and forehead blood flow were monitored for all subjects during two baseline and six treatment sessions. The biofeedback group achieved greater (albeit low magnitude) increases in finger temperature than the relaxation group, but no improvement in headache activity was obtained. However the relaxation group improved significantly in terms of headache intensity. There was no significant difference in the ability to achieve finger temperature control, nor in stability point temperatures, between the migraine and non-migraine subjects. No systematic relationship was found between finger temperature, forehead blood volume and temporal artery pulse amplitude. Possible mechanisms of the therapeutic effects of finger temperature training are examined in the light of these results.