A recently published observational study states that even when a headache specialist refers migraine patients for proven behavioral treatments like biofeedback, relaxation training or cognitive behavioral therapy, barely half of the patients follow through.
In the study, a group of 69 migraine sufferers treated at a large academic headache practice were referred for behavioral therapy, but just 57 percent got as far as making an appointment with the behavioral practitioner, researchers found.
The patients who ignored their doctor’s recommendation cited time limitations as the main barrier to treatment. Concerns about cost and insurance coverage were also an issue. And some were skeptical about whether the treatment would work; others worried about the potential stigma of seeing a psychologist, the study team reports in the journal Pain Medicine.
Evidence shows that behavioral therapy is more effective and safer in treating migraines as opposed to opioids, which are often being prescribed as the first line of treatment for migraines. To learn more about the benefits of behavioral therapy, click here to read the full coverage of this story.