Useful Details On Biofeedback Therapy

By Enid Hinton


Biofeedback is the technique used for learning to control the functions of the body like the heart rate. With the technique, one is connected to electrical sensors which help them to receive information about the body. This is why it is known as biofeedback therapy. It assists the person to focus on making body changes such as relaxation of certain muscles. Essentially, it gives the individual the power to use their thoughts to control the body, usually to help with physical performance or a health condition.

Some of the physical conditions that are managed by this technique are asthma, constipation, chronic pain and anxiety. It is preferred for a number of reasons. For once, it is a non-invasive procedure. Invasive procedures are rarely preferred by most patients. It also reduces and eliminates the need to use medications and thus may be a good alternative for people who may not tolerate medications. Further, it is an option when medicines have failed to work well.

Whereas the procedure is generally safe, it is not appropriate for all individuals. There are those that will not benefit from it. The doctor will perform an assessment to find out its suitability to the particular patient. One does not need to have any special preparations for treatment. In order to get the best therapists, the advice of the doctor or any other health specialist will come in handy. They will recommend the best professionals in the market. The majority of specialists in this technique are licensed in other fields like nursing or physical therapy.

Prior to beginning treatment, the potential therapist must be asked certain questions and some details clarified. For once, they need to be registered and certified. If they are not licensed, they must be working under some qualified professional that is licensed. The training and experience of the therapist needs to be considered as well. The required number of sessions will be discussed at this time. Having the practitioner give a list of references will help to gauge their experience.

During the session, there is attachment of electrical sensors to various parts of the body. These sensors help in monitoring the physiological state of the body like muscle tension, temperature and brain waves. The fetched information gets fed back to the person using cues such as flashing light or beeping sound. The feedback teaches the individual to control the reaction of the body.

As an example, biofeedback will make it possible to pinpoint tense muscles leading to headaches. Patients will then learn techniques of invoking such positive changes as relaxing specific muscles for pain reduction. The main aim is to learn to do so individually from home.

A typical session will last for between 30 minutes to an hour. Length of the sessions and the number will depend on the condition of the individual and the speed with which they can control physical responses. The procedure may be costly because it is never covered by insurance.

There are a number of forms of biofeedback. Temperature biofeedback, heart rate variability and galvanic skin response are just some of them. Most of the devices made use of are marketed for home use.




About the Author: