Robert Preidt writes in his article
“Behavioral Techniques a Better Value for Chronic Migraine Than Meds: Study”, that “behavioral treatments such as relaxation training, hypnosis, and biofeedback to help prevent chronic migraine headaches are cost-effective alternatives to prescription drugs, a new study suggests.”
The costs of several types of behavioral treatment were compared with preventive prescription drugs and after a six-month period, the minimal-contact behavioral treatment was comparable with drug treatment, saving 50 cents a more per dosage. Minimal-contact treatment involves a patient seeing a therapist a few times a year and incorporating behavioral techniques at home with the help of literature or audiotapes.
Preidt notes that “after one year, minimal-contact therapy was nearly $500 cheaper than drug treatment. The study is published in the June issue of the Journal Headache. Initially, the daily cost of prescription drugs taken as a preventive measure by many chronic migraine sufferers may not seem too high, said study co-author Dr. Donald Penzien, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.”
The cost of doctor visits and prescriptions add up but the cost of behavioral treatment is usually limited to the initial treatment sessions and that’s it with the benefits lasting for years.
