• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2006

Objectives : Headache is a clinical symptom that more than 90% of all individuals experience during their life time. This article provides a current concept of tension-type and migraine headaches and summarizes the effects of biofeedback treatment and/or relaxation techniques. Methods : The following terms were used for Pubmed/Medline search : biofeedback, relaxation, physiological, behavioral, nonpharmacological, headache, tension-type headache, and migraine. A review of references from relevant literature was also conducted to collect reports not identified in the Pubmed/Medline search. Interviews with experts on biofeedback were also included in this review. Results : Headache is a psychophysiological symptom that can be treated by some behavioral interventions including biofeedback and relaxation. Literatures on biofeedback and/or relaxation have consistently reported significant therapeutic effects on headaches. Important factors that we have to consider, when we apply to headache patients with biofeedback and relaxation techniques, were also presented. Conclusion : The available evidence suggests that biofeedback and relaxation techniques are effective treatments for the patients with headaches and can be provided to the patients as monotherapy or combination therapy with medication.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 1994

Objectives: Symptoms of sleep apnea consisted of insomnia, excessive sleepiness during daytime, impaired cognitive functions and emotional disturbances. It was not so well known how these symptoms are correlated with various parameters of sleep and respiration, and what kind of psychophysiological processes are involved in development of these symptoms. Methods: In sixty patients with sleep apnea, sleep and respiration were studied by polysomnography of one night, also symptoms of sleep apnea were evaluated with the scales of insomnia, daytime sleepiness, emotional disturbance and cognitive impairment We studied correlations between apnea symptoms, and various parameters of sleep and respiration such as sleep efficiency, number severity of apnea, $O_2$ desaturation and number of snoring. Results: The result showing significant correlations are as follows. The patients with better sleep in insomnia scale showed more number of apnea, particularly more central type, and much more snoring in stage 3 sleep and mild desaturation of $O_2$. Excessive sleepiness during daytime correlated significantly with stage 1 sleep and its snoring, but correlated negatively with stage 2 sleep. However, no significant correlation was found with degree of $O_2$ desaturation. Emotional disturbance was more apparent in the patients with severe $O_2$ desaturation and smaller amounts of stage 4 sleep. Cognitive function was more impaired in cases of more REM sleep and less apnea. Conclusions: Symptoms of sleep apnea may occur through different causes and processes. The evaluation of apnea symptoms may be helpful to understand in some degree the condition of sleep and respiration during sleep in clinical setting.