A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EFFECTIVENESS OF BIOFEEDBACK AND PHARMACOTHERAPY IN PROPHYLAXISOF MIGRAINE

Context: Migraine is a common disabling episodic primary headache disorder presenting with variety of clinical features. Most of the manifestations occur due to dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system. Biofeedback treatments provide patients with feedback of physiological processes, human autonomic nervous system, particularly the sympathetic nervous system and thus may be helpful in treatment of Migraine. Aims: To determine and compare effectiveness of biofeedback therapy with Pharmacotherapy in reducing frequency and severity of migraine episodes. Settings and Design: it was a longitudinal interventional analytic study, conducted at Department of Psychiatry, JLN medical college, Ajmer. Methods and Material: A total of 60 patients aged 18 to 55 years suffering from migraine for more than six months, diagnosed by ICHD-3 criteria were randomly assigned to receive either biofeedback therapy or prophylactic pharmacotherapy. The primary outcome compared after 5 months of follow-up were Pain index, frequency of attack and global evaluation. Statistical analysis used: All statistical analysis was done using Epi info version 7. Results: Response rate in Biofeedback and Pharmacotherapy group was 65% and 72% respectively. Significant reduction was seen in migraine index and migraine attack frequency in both groups (P<0.05). No significant difference was seen between the two groups at 5 month follow up in relation to migraine index, frequency or global evaluation of improvement Conclusions: Biofeedback therapy is as effective as pharmacotherapy in prophylactic management of migraine, without the risk of side effect associated with the drugs.