Abstract
Biofeedback (BF) has been employed as the therapy for headaches. At this time, a long term study was conducted in order to examine the relationship between the efficacy of BF and three factors : age at time of BF training, sex, and psychological states such as anxiety and depression. Subjects and methods : The study population consisted of 38 patients whose chief complaints were headaches. The patients were devided into migraine and muscle contraction headache (MCH) groups. This distinction was made according to the classification of the Ad Hoc Committee. The 38 patients included 26 migraine patients (3 males, 23 females) and 12 MCH patients (6 males, 6 females). The mean age was 44. 3 years in migraine patients and was 51. 2 years in MCH patients. They were trained in skin temperature BF for migraines, and electromyographic BF for MCH. In order to evaluate anxiety, Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale (MAS) was used. To evaluate depressive state, the Self-Rating Questionnaire for Depression (SRQ-D) was used. At the first meeting, each subject was given the MAS and the SRQ-D, which were returned later at the first BF training session. One year later at completion of training, a retrospective study was conducted. The questionnaire was used to examine the relationship between the efficacy rates of BF and such factors as age and sex. Results and discussion : After one year, the success rate of BF was 58. 3% in MCH and 53. 8% in migraines. Comparing patients by age and sex, there was no significant difference between an effective case and an ineffective case of BF for both MCH and migraine headacaches. Comparing patients by MAS score and SRQ-D score, there was no significant difference between an effective case and an ineffective case of BF for both MCH and migraine headaches. It can be suggested that age, sex, and psychological states such as anxiety and depression do not significantly influence the continuation of the success of BF.
