Behavioral Interventions for Migraine

Abstract

Biobehavioral interventions for migraine incorporate both physiologic and psychological factors. This article details treatments for migraine management and prevention, ranging from traditional to newly emerging interventions. Similarly, this article reviews key person-related factors that may affect migraine prevalence and management. Aspects related to patient-physician relationships and communication are also reviewed. Research involving childhood and adolescent migraine is reviewed, and special considerations regarding this population are summarized. Clinical trials and other studies have provided evidence that these behavioral interventions, when combined with pharmacotherapy, show a marked improvement in primary treatment outcomes, such as a decrease in headache frequency and duration.

Keywords: Behavioral management; Behavioral medicine; Biobehavioral interventions; Biofeedback; Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT); Headache; Migraine; Relaxation training (RT).