Key result
Alpha wave neurofeedback training combined with cognitive behavioral therapy significantly reduced low back pain in early-chronic cases (VAS mean change -16.00) and increased pain self-efficacy.
Why the study?
Evidence for the therapeutic effect of cognitive behavioral therapy or physical therapy in low back pain is lacking, necessitating objective physiological indexes and effective treatments.
Does alpha wave neurofeedback training combined with CBT or PT improve pain and psychosocial outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain?
RCT (n=97)
Open-label
Random number calculation with patient IDs
No
Does alpha wave neurofeedback training combined with CBT or PT improve pain and psychosocial outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain?
Combining alpha wave neurofeedback training with cognitive behavioral therapy or physical therapy enhances pain reduction and self-efficacy in patients with early-stage chronic low back pain.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports NFT plus CBT for early chronic low back pain; extends alpha neurofeedback evidence to musculoskeletal conditions.
The lifetime prevalence of low back pain is 83%. Since there is a lack of evidence for therapeutic effect by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or physical therapy (PT), it is necessary to develop objective physiological indexes and effective treatments. We conducted a prospective longitudinal study to evaluate the treatment effects of CBT, PT, and neurofeedback training (NFT) during alpha wave NFT. The early-chronic cases within 1 year and late-chronic cases over 1 year after the diagnosis of chronic low back pain were classified into six groups: Controls, CBTs, PTs, NFTs, CBT-NFTs, PT-NFTs. We evaluated the difference in EEG, psychosocial factors, scores of low back pain before/after the intervention. Therapeutic effect was clearly more effective in the early-chronic cases. We found that the intensity of alpha waves increased significantly after therapeutic intervention in the NFT groups, but did not have the main effect of reducing low back pain; the interaction between CBT and NFT reduced low back pain. Factors that enhance therapeutic effect are early intervention, increased alpha waves, and self-efficacy due to parallel implementation of CBT/PT and NFT. A treatment protocol in which alpha wave neurofeedback training is subsidiarily used with CBT or PT should be developed in the future.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Shimizu et al. (2022) conducted an RCT in Chronic low back pain (n=97). Alpha wave neurofeedback training (NFT) combined with CBT or PT vs. Standard care (Controls), CBT alone, PT alone, or NFT alone was evaluated on Change in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for low back pain from baseline to 8 weeks (early-chronic CBT-NFT group) (MD -16.00, 95% CI -19.97 to -12.02, p=<0.01). Alpha wave neurofeedback training combined with cognitive behavioral therapy significantly reduced low back pain in early-chronic cases (VAS mean change -16.00) and increased pain self-efficacy.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: