The Truth About Biofeedback for Pain

Today, many people are looking for complementary and alternative medicine techniques to support their process of healing. Biofeedback is one such technique being used as it enables individuals to learn how to change their physiological activity to improve their health and physical performance. In essence, biofeedback enhances an individual's power to use their thoughts to control their body.

Biofeedback has evolved from a fascination in the 1960s and 70s to a mainstream methodology today for treating certain medical conditions. According to the Association for Applied Psychology and Biofeedback, this evolution has been driven by years of scientific research demonstrating that the mind and body are connected and that people can be taught to harness the power of this connection to change physical activity and improve health and function.

Biofeedback is used to help treat a variety of physical and mental health issues, including:

  • Anxiety or stress
  • Asthma
  • Chemotherapy side effects
  • Constipation
  • Headaches
  • Heart problems
  • High blood pressure
  • Incontinence
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Pain
  • Physical performance
  • Raynaud's disease

During a biofeedback session, a therapist applies electrical sensors to different parts of the patient's body. These sensors monitor the body's physiological state, such as the brain waves, heart function, breathing, muscle activity, and skin temperature. This information is fed back to the patient via cues, such as a beeping sound or a flashing light and teaches the patient that they can change or control their body's physiological reactions by changing their thoughts, emotions, or behavior.

For instance, biofeedback can pinpoint tense muscles that are causing a patient's headaches. Through the biofeedback the patient can learn how to relax those specific muscles, and in turn, reduce their pain and help their condition.

The length and number of biofeedback sessions needed are determined by the patient's condition and how quickly they can learn to control their physical responses. This could range from a series of ten sessions to as many as 50. The goal is that over time, the physiological changes can endure without continued use of an instrument and the patient can use these techniques at home on their own.

Is biofeedback right for you? Here are some facts to help you decide.

The Pros

  • It's noninvasive.
  • It may reduce or eliminate need for medications.
  • It may be a treatment alternative for those who can't tolerate medications for their conditions.
  • It may be an option when medications haven't worked well.
  • It may be an alternative to medications for some conditions during pregnancy.
  • It helps people take charge of their health.

The Cons

  • Learning biofeedback can take a lot of time.
  • If it's not covered by your health insurance, it can be expensive.
  • In some cases, biofeedback may be no more effective than are other simpler, less expensive relaxation techniques, such as yoga.

Tips to Help You Decide if Biofeedback Right for You

If you think biofeedback is a good option for you, ask your doctor or another health professional with knowledge of biofeedback therapy to recommend someone who has biofeedback experience treating your condition.

Once you get a recommendation, ask the biofeedback therapist the following questions:

  1. How many biofeedback sessions do you think I'll need?
  2. What's the cost, and is it covered by health insurance?

Being well-informed about the process and feeling confident with your biofeedback therapist will help you in creating better health and well-being.



Sources:

About biofeedback. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/consumers_biofeedback.html. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.

Mayo Clinic Staff. Biofeedback. MayoClinic.com. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/biofeedback/MY01072. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.

What is biofeedback? Biofeedback Certification Institute of America. http://www.bcia.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=8. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.