Some migraineurs are considered fortunate since they are capable of experiencing prodromal symptoms.
Prodromal symptoms alert the patient when they are about to have a migraine attack.
Prodromal symptom does not offer any relief but at least it allows the migraineur to plan for the down period they are about to go into.
Provided a migraineur has learnt the cognitive behavioral therapy they are in a position to use the prodromal symptoms to short circuit the migraine headache.
In cognitive behavioral therapy the aim is to consciously manipulate and recognize the role that the behavior of a patient plays in the development of the headaches.
The therapist and the patient will both work to establish the patients behavior when they feel they are about to have a headache.
For the patients who are not lucky enough to experience prodromal symptoms they work with their therapist to establish the patients behavior when the pain starts.
After establishing the patient's behavior, the therapist and patient then develop alternative behaviors for the patient to try in place of the earlier ones.
The hope is that by changing the patient's behavior they might be able to change the migraine.
There are several issues that cognitive behavioral therapy seeks to establish.
The therapist works with the patient to achieve the following.
By itself cognitive behavioral therapy is helpful but much more helpful when combined with preventive drug therapy.
A study carried out I 1989 showed that minimal-therapist contact behavioral therapy and clinic- based therapy had almost equal success rates.
This was true when observed initially and on a follow up six months later.
It is therefore true that Minimal contact therapy offers an affordable and effective alternative to clinic based therapy which might be more expensive.
Prodromal symptoms alert the patient when they are about to have a migraine attack.
Prodromal symptom does not offer any relief but at least it allows the migraineur to plan for the down period they are about to go into.
Provided a migraineur has learnt the cognitive behavioral therapy they are in a position to use the prodromal symptoms to short circuit the migraine headache.
In cognitive behavioral therapy the aim is to consciously manipulate and recognize the role that the behavior of a patient plays in the development of the headaches.
The therapist and the patient will both work to establish the patients behavior when they feel they are about to have a headache.
For the patients who are not lucky enough to experience prodromal symptoms they work with their therapist to establish the patients behavior when the pain starts.
After establishing the patient's behavior, the therapist and patient then develop alternative behaviors for the patient to try in place of the earlier ones.
The hope is that by changing the patient's behavior they might be able to change the migraine.
There are several issues that cognitive behavioral therapy seeks to establish.
The therapist works with the patient to achieve the following.
- Identify the problematic behavior that the patient needs to change.
This is achieved by asking the patient to keep a headache diary. - Develop new behavioral patterns with an aim of effecting change in the migraine.
- Identify a treatment goal.
Normally the treatment goal is not complete elimination of the migraine but steps towards achieving that and this may include the patient learning how to relax when faced with potential migraine triggers. - Observe the how the patient reacts to the new behavior and establish environmental factors that might be influencing the behavior.
By itself cognitive behavioral therapy is helpful but much more helpful when combined with preventive drug therapy.
A study carried out I 1989 showed that minimal-therapist contact behavioral therapy and clinic- based therapy had almost equal success rates.
This was true when observed initially and on a follow up six months later.
It is therefore true that Minimal contact therapy offers an affordable and effective alternative to clinic based therapy which might be more expensive.