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