CBT May Improve Comorbid Posttraumatic Headache, PTSD
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Cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs) can provide relief from comorbid, persistent posttraumatic headache and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), new research suggests. Results from a randomized clinical trial of almost 200 military veterans showed that, compared with usual care, CBT for headache led to significant improvement in both headache disability and PTSD symptoms. Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) also led to significant improvement in PTSD symptoms, but it did not improve headache disability. Lead author Donald McGeary, PhD, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, noted the improvements shown in headache disability after CBT were likely due to its building of patients' confidence that they could control or manage their headaches themselves.
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@roopendra Both mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD are signature wounds of post-9/11 military conflicts. The two conditions commonly occur together and can harm quality of life and functioning, the investigators note. Following mild TBI, many veterans experience persistent posttraumatic headache, which often co-occurs with PTSD.