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The use of temperature biofeedback in the treatment of chronic pain due to causalgia

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Abstract

A patient with chronic pain due to a reflex sympathetic dystrophy in his hand and arm was successfully treated with temperature biofeedback after several months of conservative standard medical care brought little relief. Over the 18 treatment sessions the patient learned to emit a reliable handwarming response of 1 to 1.5°C. Coincident with his learning, the pain in his hand and arm decreased markedly and remained absent at 1-year follow-up.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, SUNY-Albany, 12222, Albany, New York

    Edward B. Blanchard

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  1. Edward B. Blanchard
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Additional information

The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Kit S. Mays and the staff of the Pain Clinic of the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences.

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Blanchard, E.B. The use of temperature biofeedback in the treatment of chronic pain due to causalgia. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation 4, 183–188 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01007112

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01007112

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