The effectiveness of EMG and Thermal biofeedback training for nine women suffering from chronic primary dysmenorrhea was evaluated in a single-subject long-term treatment approach. The women were screened according to selection criteria and were randomly assigned to a treatment progression. Six subjects, four of whom had previously received Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) treatment for their dysmenorrhea, received EMG followed by thermal biofeedback, while three subjects received thermal followed by EMG training. Baseline data were collected prior to each treatment condition. Each type of biofeedback training occurred for two menstrual cycles, with the women individually attending 6 thirty-minute sessions within each cycle. An autogenic relaxation exercise was recited during the first 10 minutes of a session, and the appropriate biofeedback training occurred for the final 20 minutes. / A Daily Symptom Scale (DSS) questionnaire, which reported severity and duration of symptoms, medication usage, hours of bed rest, and interference with activities, was completed for the first 2 days of each menstruation. Results indicated a highly significant trend (p < .001) in reduction of DSS values across the course of treatment. Final assessment of symptom changes for eight of the women resulted in one woman rating her symptoms as "greatly improved to completely gone," five rating "greatly improved," and two reporting a "moderate change." / Examination of physiological data, which included trapezius EMG and finger temperature values, revealed a reduction in muscle tension by all subjects by the end of treatment; comparable temperature increases did not occur. Within training sessions, six subjects displayed the ability to control muscle tension, while only two evidenced skin temperature control. / Results were discussed in terms of symptom alleviation as presumably more related to muscular relaxation and control than to peripheral temperature warming. However, further investigation is needed to determine the relationship between biofeedback modalities, physiological changes, and symptom alleviation. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-07, Section: B, page: 2324. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74894 |
| Contributors | BALICK, LISA RENEE., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 154 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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