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Query: UMLS:C0085580 (essential hypertension)
 14,686 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The literature on the use of biofeedback and various forms of relaxation training in the treatment of psychophysiological disorders was reviewed; special attention was devoted to studies in which biofeedback and some form of relaxation training were compared. Based on this review, we conclude that there is no consistent advantage for one form of treatment over the other with any psychophysiological disorder for which a comparison has been made, e.g., essential hypertension, migraine headaches, premature ventricular contractions, tension headaches, temporomandibular joint pain, asthma, primary dysmenorrhea, and functional diarrhea. For other disorders in which no comparisons have been made (e.g., Raynaud's disease, sinus tachycardia, peptic uclers, and fecal incontinence) biofeedback seems to be a very promising treatment modality.
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PMID:Biofeedback and relaxation training in the treatment of psychophysiological disorders: or are the machines really necessary? 38 67

Muscle relaxation is one of the most effective means at our disposal for diminishing emotional stress. In the context of behavior therapy it has featured in systematic programs to overcome anxiety response habits. Its original usage by Jacobson was an ad hoc measure for meeting tensions as they arose, as well as for ongoing tensions. This usage also often results in diminution of anxiety response habits--inadvertently. It has been found of value in the treatment of migraine and tension headaches, insomnia and essential hypertension, and also in at least some cases of Type A personality. There is reason to think that in normal populations relaxation training may have a role in the prevention of neuroses.
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PMID:Deconditioning and ad hoc uses of relaxation: an overview. 615 52

This follow-up study 1 to 5 years after biofeedback therapy, involving 58 patients in six diagnostic groups (migraine headache, tension headache, mixed headache, chronic pain, anxiety, and essential hypertension), revealed that 86% of the patients who continued to practice relaxation techniques improved, while only 50% of those who had stopped practice improved (p = .04). Among the patients who improved, 91% had continued to practice and only 9% had stopped practice, while among the patients who did not improve, 63% had continued to practice and 36% had stopped practice. Patients who were practicing only "occasionally," "as needed," or "when stressed" improved as much as or more than those who practiced regularly and frequently (i.e., at least weekly): 89% versus 77% improved, respectively (p = n.s). There was no difference in the occurrence or frequency of relaxation practice between patients who have been out of therapy 3 to 5 years and those who completed therapy more recently, or between those who were in brief versus longer-term therapy. Although continued relaxation practice is significantly related to the maintenance of long-term improvement, a few patients manage to improve without it, or continue to practice yet relapse. Furthermore, it appears that only occasional relaxation practice after therapy is sufficient to maintain long-term therapeutic gains.
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PMID:Relaxation practice after biofeedback therapy: a long-term follow-up study of utilization and effectiveness. 635 87

Sternbach proposed a three component model to account for the emergence of psychosomatic symptoms. He hypothesized that if an individual exhibited (1) marked response stereotypy, and (2) inadequate homeostatic restraints, then (3) exposure to activating situations would result in psychosomatic episodes. The main purpose of the present study was to examine the second component of the Sternbach model, homeostatic inadequacy, as indicated by impaired rate of recovery from stressful stimulation. In addition, the presence of response stereotypy was investigated in this study. Ten subjects from each of 5 diagnostic groups (rheumatoid arthritis, essential hypertension, migraine headache, tension headache, and healthy controls) were observed under conditions of unstructured relaxation, easement (exposure to stimuli intended to enhance relaxation), mild stress, and recovery from stress. Forearm and forehead muscle potential, peripheral temperature, electrodermal response, heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were monitored during these sessions. Although evidence of symptom specific response stereotypy was regularly observed, slowness of recovery did not emerge as a robust phenomenon in the four psychosomatic disorders investigated. The phenomenon was consistently observed in the arthritic subjects, absent in hypertensives and tension headache subjects, and ambiguous for migraine subjects.
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PMID:A test of delayed recovery following stressful stimulation in four psychosomatic disorders. 716 29

Autogenic training (AT) is a self-relaxation procedure by which a psychophysiological determined relaxation response is elicited. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of AT. Seventy-three controlled outcome studies were found (published 1952-99). Sixty studies (35 randomized controlled trials [RCT]) qualified for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Medium-to-large effect sizes (ES) occurred for pre-post comparisons of disease-specific AT-effects, with the RCTs showing larger ES. When AT was compared to real control conditions, medium ES were found. Comparisons of AT versus other psychological treatment mostly resulted in no effects or small negative ES. This pattern of results was stable at follow-up. Unspecific AT-effects (i.e., effects on mood, cognitive performance, quality of life, and physiological variables) tended to be even larger than main effects. Separate meta-analyses for different disorders revealed a significant reduction of the heterogeneity of ES. Positive effects (medium range) of AT and of AT versus control in the meta-analysis of at least 3 studies were found for tension headache/migraine, mild-to-moderate essential hypertension, coronary heart disease, asthma bronchiale, somatoform pain disorder (unspecified type), Raynaud's disease, anxiety disorders, mild-to-moderate depression/dysthymia, and functional sleep disorders.
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PMID:Autogenic training: a meta-analysis of clinical outcome studies. 1200 85