Occupational Therapy Essay

Migraines are recognized as a major cause of disability worldwide. Using occupational therapy can help migraine sufferers live a better quality of life without having to rely on medication. The main treatment for migraine sufferers is medication; however, occupational therapy can teach migraine sufferers how to live a better quality of life without the use of medications through self-regulation therapy. Migraine sufferers should seek out occupational therapy as an alternative to medications. Occupational therapy teaches migraineurs ways to manage their environment, triggers, and attacks as they happen through self-regulation therapy. “Self-regulation therapy refers to a wide range of strategies to influence alertness and ability to achieve a given activity. In the context of migraine management, it usually refers to using things like biofeedback modalities to help train the person to up and down-regulate their physiological activity.” (Glomstad, 2003) Doctors often recommend resting in a dark, quiet room during a migraine attack; however, lying down for up to three days can have an adverse effect on a person’s life, causing severe depression, isolation from family and friends, and stress and anxiety due to worry about the next migraine attack. Self-regulation therapy increases
Occupational therapists use biofeedback for this. “Biofeedback training teaches people to control certain body functions they do not normally think about controlling. For example, a headache sufferer could learn to raise the temperature of a part of the body, say the hands. Redirecting blood to the hands reduces blood flow in the head, and the headache pain eases.” (Trust, n.d.) Biofeedback also teaches patients how to relax certain muscles to reduce pain. Biofeedback is also used as a relaxation tool, which helps to reduce stress and helps with pain management. (Mayo Clinic,