Cl. Edwards et al., Electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback in the comprehensive treatment of central pain and ataxic tremor following thalamic stroke, APPL PSY BI, 25(4), 2000, pp. 229-240
Peripheral pain and ataxic tremor can appear suddenly following thalamic st
roke and can significantly alter a patient's psychological, social, and phy
sical functioning. The present paper reports the case of a 70-year-old Cauc
asian female who sustained an acute left posterior cerebral artery infarcti
on involving the thalamus and left mesiotemporal regions. She subsequently
developed Central Poststroke Pain and ataxic movement of her right arm and
hand in addition to a significant right-side claudication. She was treated
over 16 weeks (6 weeks of EMG biofeedback and 10 weeks of psychotherapy) wi
th a combination of EMG biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, behavio
ral pain coping skills training Forced Use Therapy, and Cognitive Behaviora
l Therapy 7 years after her initial cerebral accident. The case demonstrate
s the utility of biofeedback when combined as part of a comprehensive treat
ment program to address the multiple complications associated with thalamic
stroke.