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External Hand Warming as a Novel Treatment for Ice Pick Headaches: A Controlled Case Study

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Abstract

Primary stabbing headache (PSH) or ice pick headache is an infrequently studied, yet socially important problem facing children and adolescents. The current study examined the effects of routine external hand warming on the PSH intensity of a 16-year-old male referred for management of recurrent headaches. The participant, Michael, alternated periods of non-warming with periods of daily external hand warming, and an ABAB design was used to evaluate the impact of hand warming on PSH intensity. Results indicate that clinically significant symptom reduction was obtained with implementation of external hand warming.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Psychology, Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985450 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5450, USA

    Kristi L. Hofstadter-Duke & Keith D. Allen

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  1. Kristi L. Hofstadter-Duke
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  2. Keith D. Allen
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Correspondence to Keith D. Allen.

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Hofstadter-Duke, K.L., Allen, K.D. External Hand Warming as a Novel Treatment for Ice Pick Headaches: A Controlled Case Study. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 36, 129–133 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-011-9146-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-011-9146-1

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