Thermal Biofeedback and Headaches
		by: Christa Seiwert


Thermal biofeedback is a type of biofeedback that 
measures the temperature of the patient's skin. 
Warming of the skin, for reasons unknown, can 
reduce the pain from tension-type headaches, cluster 
headaches, and migraine headaches. Some people 
believe that the warming method works only 
because of its association with relaxation; that 
relaxation is actually causing the reduction in pain. 
Whatever the reason may be, more and more studies 
are showing the benefits from thermal biofeedback.

Temperature of the skin is measured through a 
thermistor, which is a temperature-sensitive probe 
that is taped to the patients skin. This temperature 
probe is not an electrode; it is made of heat-sensitive 
electrical material inside an insulating piece with 
wiring to connect to the main unit. It is programmed 
to become the same temperature as the skin it is 
attached to, and it responds only to skin's 
temperature. Because many places on the body have 
sweat glands, which could interfere with the probe's 
reading, the position of the probe must be chosen 
carefully. The easiest and most common place is the 
backside of the fingers, where there are few sweat 
glands. Consistency of the probe position from 
session to session is also important in keeping data 
accurate.

Unfortunately, there are few outside factors that can 
lead to inaccuracy of the results. Moving air can 
remove heat from the skin, causing a lower reading, 
even though the patients' temperature did not 
change. Drifting air can also cause temperature 
changes, however, the machines overlook minute 
changes in temperature. Too cool or too warm room 
temperatures can change hand temperatures and 
cool air can directly affect the probe temperature. 
The biofeedback specialist must always remember to 
ask questions regarding the conditions of 
temperature change.


Thermal biofeedback has been studied on a wide 
range of headache sufferers: pregnant and lactating 
women, menstruating and non-menstruating 
women, the elderly, children, adolescents, and all 
other age groups. One study treated five children 8-
14 years old for headaches. They learned hand-
warming skills and practiced these skills on a 
regular basis. All of them had substantial reductions 
in frequency, duration, and intensity of headaches. 
At a six-month follow-up, four out of five of the 
children were headache free. Many studies show 
similar results. In another study, 27 headache 
patients were split up into three groups using: EEG 
biofeedback, EMG biofeedback, and thermal 
biofeedback. By the end of training, there was 
improvement in all groups. The thermal biofeedback 
group however, had almost "complete elimination of 
headaches and maintained these results as long as 
six months after training." Other studies show not 
only the effectiveness of finger warming in reducing 
headaches, but the nominal effects of finger cooling; 
finger cooling has been showed to either do nothing 
in the relief of headaches or increase the frequency, 
duration, or intensity of headaches!

Although there may seem to be problems with 
temperature results of thermal biofeedback, the 
studies have promising conclusions. It has been 
shown that the warming of hands can reduce the 
pain from tension-type headaches, cluster 
headaches, and migraine headaches. If the human 
brain associates warmth with relaxation, and 
relaxing causes the relief of headaches – so be it! The 
fact remains that humans can convince their own 
body parts to change temperature so that their 
ailment may be remedied. Thermal biofeedback may 
require more work than just taking a daily pill to 
relieve headaches. Without the side-effects of 
medication, it can offer personal rewards of victory 
and satisfaction.

Copyright © 2003, Dr. John M. Morgan, All rights reserved - This page last edited May 13, 2003
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