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Behavioral Treatment of Migraine Headaches

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The Comprehensive Handbook of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Migraine headache is a vascular condition characterized by episodic and severe pain, usually occurring on one side of the head. The headache is often preceded by a variety of prodromal symptoms, such as scotoma, photosensitivity, or other sensory/motor disturbances. There is considerable variability in headache symptoms among migraine patients; for example, many patients do not report prodromal symptoms. Head pain reports of different patients may vary in intensity, frequency, and duration of pain, and a wide variety of environmental events may precede the occurrence of the headache. Many migraine sufferers report headache pain during a period of relaxation following a prolonged period of stress, while others report headache pain only infrequently during periods of relaxation, but episodes of headache pain with anger or exposure to aversive stimuli. Despite these individual differences, a clearly defined clinical syndrome has been established and a number of different procedures have been used for treatment.

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Authors
  1. Paul M. Cinciripini
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  2. Donald A. Williamson
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  3. Leonard H. Epstein
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Gifford Mental Health Center, USA

    James M. Ferguson M.D. (Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry) (Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry)

  2. San Diego School of Medicine, University of California, USA

    James M. Ferguson M.D. (Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry) (Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry)

  3. Department of Psychiatry, VA Hospital, La Jolla, USA

    James M. Ferguson M.D. (Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry) (Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry)

  4. Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California, USA

    C. Barr Taylor M.D. (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry) (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry)

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© 1981 Spectrum Publications, Inc.

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Cinciripini, P.M., Williamson, D.A., Epstein, L.H. (1981). Behavioral Treatment of Migraine Headaches. In: Ferguson, J.M., Taylor, C.B. (eds) The Comprehensive Handbook of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7280-6_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7280-6_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-011-7282-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-7280-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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