Biofeedback Types for Migraine Treatment
Posted on March 11 2025,
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Biofeedback is a non-invasive, non-pharmacological approach that enables individuals to gain control over physiological processes linked to migraine, such as muscle tension, blood flow, and brain activity. Using monitoring equipment, it provides real-time feedback, allowing patients to learn self-regulation techniques that may reduce migraine frequency, duration, and severity.
| Type of Biofeedback | Description | Targeted Process | Application in Migraine | Evidence/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal Biofeedback | Trains patients to increase skin temperature, typically in the hands, to promote relaxation. | Peripheral blood flow and relaxation | Reduces stress and tension, common migraine triggers | Effective in reducing headache frequency and severity vs. waiting-list controls (Penzien & Irby, 2024; Paudel & Sah, 2025) |
| EMG (Electromyography) Biofeedback | Trains patients to reduce muscle tension, often in the forehead or neck. | Muscle tension | Decreases muscle tension that can trigger or exacerbate migraine attacks | Effective vs. waiting-list controls for reducing headache frequency and severity (Penzien & Irby, 2024; Paudel & Sah, 2025) |
| BVP (Blood Volume Pulse) Biofeedback | Trains patients to constrict the temporal artery, mimicking abortive medications. | Blood flow in the temporal artery | Prevents vasodilation associated with migraine attacks | Specifically designed for migraine; effective vs. waiting-list controls but not superior to active treatments (Penzien & Irby, 2024; Paudel & Sah, 2025) |
| EEG Biofeedback (Electroencephalography / Neurofeedback) |
Trains patients to modify brainwave patterns, potentially reducing cortical excitability. | Brain activity | May decrease migraine likelihood by altering brainwave patterns | Early research is promising; more studies needed to confirm efficacy (Penzien & Irby, 2024; Paudel & Sah, 2025) |
| HRV (Heart Rate Variability) Biofeedback | Trains patients to increase heart rate variability through breathing or mindfulness exercises. | Autonomic nervous system balance | Reduces stress and promotes relaxation, addressing autonomic dysregulation in migraine | Supported by studies (Paudel & Sah, 2025; Minen et al., 2021; Cuneo et al., 2023); effective in reducing migraine frequency, severity, and associated symptoms like anxiety |
References
- Penzien, D. B., & Irby, M. B. (2024). Biobehavioral treatments of migraine. In J. W. Swanson & M. Matharu (Eds.), Handbook of Clinical Neurology (Vol. 199, 3rd series, pp. 155-169). Elsevier.
- Paudel, P., & Sah, A. (2025). Efficacy of biofeedback for migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
- Minen, M. T., Corner, S., Berk, T., Levitan, V., Friedman, S., Adhikari, S., et al. (2021). Heart rate variability biofeedback for migraine using a smartphone application and sensor: A randomized controlled trial. General Hospital Psychiatry, 69, 41-49.
- Cuneo, A., Yang, R., Zhou, H., Wang, K., Goh, S., Wang, Y., et al. (2023). The utility of a novel, combined biofeedback-virtual reality device as add-on treatment for chronic migraine. Clinical Journal of Pain, 39, 286-296.
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