Treatment of various forms of tense headaches by biofeedback

: Efficiency of electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback (BFB) in the treatment of tension type headache (TTH) has been analyzed. 50 patients with episodic and chronic TTH have been treated by a standard course of BFB-therapy (10 sessions). The results have been compared with the data in comparison group (12 patients who received lerivon therapy) and in controls (15 healthy individuals). The severity index has been calculated, different psychologic data have been tested, the amplitude of EMG of frontal, temporal, trapezius, orbicularis oris muscles has been examined. The best results have been obtained in the episodic TTH group--87%. In chronic TTH group the efficiency was lower (full effect--26%, partial--35%, no effect--39%). The 6 month period after the treatment showed that BFB effect is more protracted than that of the pharmacological therapy.