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Biofeedback is a mind-body technique
in which a practitioner uses a special monitoring machine to teach people how to
control bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature,
and muscle tension, in order to improve their health and well-being.
The first important studies on
biofeedback were conducted in the late 1960s by Barbara Brown, of the
Veterans Administration
Hospital in Sepulveda, California, and Elmer and Alyce Green of the Menninger
Foundation, a clinical and research center for mental illness in Topeka, Kansas.
Prior to these studies, it was thought that the body's autonomic
functions--heart rate, digestion, blood pressure, brain waves, and muscle
behavior, for example--could not be voluntarily controlled. The researchers'
studies of Indian yogi masters showed that the nervous system and metabolic rate
could be consciously regulated. Their work led to an exploration of the use of
biofeedback for a wide range of physical ailments, including migraine headaches,
insomnia, and circulatory and gastrointestinal disorders.
How Does It Work?
During biofeedback, the therapist uses
electronic equipment to help you understand how your body responds
physiologically to various situations--to stress, pain, or other conditions. The
therapist will also teach you relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery and
progressive muscle relaxation, to provide a way to actively control these bodily
responses.
While biofeedback is known to be quite
effective for stress, it differs from other stress-reduction techniques in that
it focuses on a particular stress response--tension in the neck and shoulders,
for example, or variations in breathing patterns--rather than on relaxing the
whole body. With help from the therapist, you learn to control the actions of
your nervous system during and after times of stress.
The therapy has also shown promise for
ailments such as diabetes and incontinence that may not be stress related. For
such conditions you might be taught to increase blood circulation to a specific
part of your body or to control a very particular muscle group.
What You Can Expect
During a biofeedback session, you will
sit comfortably in a quiet room. The therapist may tape sensors to your forehead
or arm to measure the amount of tension in your muscles. You might also have a
heat sensor taped to a finger (as you relax, your finger grows warmer). A small
machine wired to the sensors then measures responses such as muscle tension,
skin temperature, heart rate, and breathing, and translates them into audio or
visual signals. You can then use a relaxation technique the therapist has taught
you to modulate the signal, which is typically a series of beeps, a flashing
light, or a changing image on a computer screen.
By paying attention to the "feedback"
from the monitoring machine you can tell how well you are progressing with the
therapy. When you make the "correct" response--by relaxing your tense jaw, for
instance--you get positive feedback from the machine: The light stops flashing,
the beeping stops, or the image on the computer screen changes from an angry
face to a happy one. Once you learn to adjust your body's reactions, you'll
begin to recognize how the correct (healthier) response feels. The goal is to be
able to duplicate this response on your own, without the help of the biofeedback
equipment. Like most skills, the more you practice, the more adept you will
become at altering the feedback.
Getting hooked up to a biofeedback
machine doesn't hurt and is an easy process. You automatically send signals to
the machine and it measures them. Most people require between five and 10
sessions to learn how to recognize and control their bodies' responses.
Many health insurance polices now
cover biofeedback training to help patients cope with chronic stress-related
health problems.
Health Benefits
During the past 25 years, research has
demonstrated biofeedback's significant health benefits. Studies show that the
therapy can help people control headaches caused by muscle contraction or
dilated blood vessels better than some conventional treatments. The therapy has
also aided patients recovering from strokes in regaining gait, grip, grasping
ability, and other hand functions. In addition, biofeedback can be an important
adjunct therapy in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction. It may also
serve to counter the physical tension associated with many illnesses.
Other ailments for which biofeedback
is also frequently used include complications from diabetes, Raynaud's disease,
and incontinence.
It is important to note that while
biofeedback helps people control bodily functions and change behavior, it can't
address deeper emotional and psychological issues that may be involved with
stress or chronic pain. If these problems persist, you may want to consider
counseling or psychotherapy.
How To Choose a Practitioner
Most biofeedback therapists are
licensed physicians, clinical psychologists, or other healthcare professionals
who have taken special training in this technique. The Biofeedback Certification
Institute of America in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, provides the major certification
program for biofeedback practitioners. Look for a therapist who has experience
treating the particular problem for which you are seeking help, and choose
someone you feel comfortable with. Remember that the success of the treatment
will depend in part on the level of trust you are able to develop with your
therapist. Your primary-care physician also may be able to give you a referral
to a biofeedback therapist. Many health insurance palns now provide partial
coverage for biofeedback therapy.
Cautions
1. If you wear a pacemaker or have a serious heart
disorder, consult your doctor before undertaking biofeedback.
2. Biofeedback can help people with diabetes
control their circulation but it could also change the need for insulin and
other medicines. Be sure to monitor blood sugar carefully if you are using this
therapy.
3. Biofeedback devices sold for home use vary
widely in quality. Ask a physician or biofeedback therapist for advice about a
good brand before making a purchase.
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