The relationship between muscle discrimination ability and response to relaxation training in three kinds of headaches

Biofeedback Self Regul. 1981 Dec;6(4):537-45. doi: 10.1007/BF00998738.

Abstract

Accurate discrimination of changes in physiological response has been noted as an important element in learning to control that response. Using a magnitude production procedure involving forearm isometric contractions, it was found that the ability to discriminate muscle tension varied across headache groups, with the no-headache control group (r = .76) being most accurate, followed by the tension group (r = .68), the mixed tension and migraine group (r = .60), and finally the migraine group (r = .51). The most important result, however, was that muscle discrimination ability significantly predicted clinical outcome from treatment by relaxation training for tension headache subjects (r = .50) but did not predict outcome for migraine or mixed headache subjects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arm
  • Discrimination, Psychological*
  • Headache / psychology
  • Headache / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Migraine Disorders / psychology
  • Migraine Disorders / therapy
  • Muscle Contraction*
  • Relaxation Therapy*