Guided self-help may ease unexplained nerve symptoms

28.07.2011 [19:09]
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Baku, July 28 (AZERTAC). Some people with unexplained dizziness, headaches or weakness may find some relief with behavioral therapy done partly at home, a study out Wednesday suggests.

The study, reported in the journal Neurology, looked at patients with so-called functional neurological symptoms.

It refers to symptoms related to the nervous system -- dizziness, headaches, weakness, "pins and needles" sensations, and general pain -- that can`t be traced to an underlying medical condition, like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson`s disease or migraines.

It`s not clear how common these symptoms are in the general population. One study found that a third of patients referred to Scottish neurology clinics had functional symptoms, according to Dr. Michael Sharpe, a professor at the University of Edinburgh in the UK who led the new study.

There`s no agreement on how to best help people with functional neurological symptoms. But there`s evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may work for some.

CBT is a form of psychological counseling aimed at helping people recognize and change the thought patterns and behaviors that feed their health problems.

But people with functional neurological symptoms often resist CBT because they think they are being told that their physical problems are "all in their head."

The researchers randomly assigned 127 patients to either "usual" care for functional neurological problems or to usual care plus self-help.

The self-help group had a few in-person or telephone sessions with a counselor over three months, but otherwise used a workbook that taught them self-help tactics -- like how to manage "unhelpful" thoughts about their symptoms.

After three months, 30 percent of patients in the self-help group rated their overall health as "better" or "much better," versus 17 percent in the group that had only standard care.

After six months, that difference was no longer significant between the two groups, but the self-help group was faring better in other ways. Overall, 47 percent said the specific symptoms that had sent them to the doctor in the first place were better or much better, versus 30 percent of the comparison group.

Guided self-help may ease unexplained nerve symptoms

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