The 14 year old began suffering headaches at age 8, but they've worsened into migraines during the last 2 years. Biofeedback is a tool that's been used for many years to treat many types of ailments, particularly migraine. Many biofeedback units function by tracking muscle function. A sensor attached to a patient's face and linked with a computer can sense muscle contractions that are associated with tension. Other devices can measure body temperature, monitored with a finger probe.
Patients can view a screen with the readings, making a connection with how they feel.
We see the incidence of migraine markedly increasing around the age of 12, but it can occur as early as 3 or 4 or even 5. You need to learn management techniques. In the technique that Dr. Graff-Radford advocates, emotional state is relaxed to allow the body to relax. Patients learn to relax their bodies with controlled breathing, muscle relaxation, and guided imagery techniques. As body temperatures rise, they relax even more, allowing the migraine to subside in successful cases.