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Cognitive-behavioral group treatment for disabling headache
Justin M Nash1, Elyse R Park, Barbara B Walker
1Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown Medical School and The Miriam Hospital, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA. Justin_Nash@Brown.edu
Pain Medicine (Malden, Mass.)
|June 24, 2004
Summary
Cognitive-behavioral group treatment significantly improved headache frequency, intensity, and duration for individuals with disabling headaches. This approach reduced medication use and enhanced quality of life for many participants.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Behavioral Science
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Severe, disabling headaches impose significant costs on individuals and society.
- Standard treatments, including prophylactic agents and triptans, are insufficient for many.
- Psychological and behavioral factors play a crucial role in chronic headache management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral group treatment for chronic, disabling headaches.
- To assess if this group format offers an intensive, cost-effective clinic-based intervention.
- To evaluate improvements in headache symptoms, medication use, and quality of life.
Main Methods:
- Development and piloting of a 10-session cognitive-behavioral group treatment program.
- Study conducted at an academic medical center's behavioral headache management program.
- Involved 62 individuals with moderate to severe primary headache disorder, assessed pre- and post-treatment.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements observed in headache frequency, intensity, duration, and quality of life.
- Reduced symptomatic medication use was noted post-treatment.
- Fifty percent of participants achieved at least a 50% reduction in headache frequency.
Conclusions:
- Clinic-based, group-format cognitive-behavioral treatment shows preliminary effectiveness for disabling headaches.
- The intervention successfully decreased headache activity and symptomatic medication reliance.
- Improved quality of life was a key outcome for participants in the study.