Biofeedback training is an approach that can be used to treat both clinical conditions and the mental symptoms of stress. In addition to Biofeedback's ability to contribute to the management of the symptoms listed in the Mind/Body Integration section, it is also an appropriate training technique for the following conditions:
Clinical Conditions:
- Temporomandibular Joint Pain (TMJ)
- Raynaud's Disease
- Anxiety Disorder
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Myofascial Pain
- High Blood Pressure
- Asthma
- Tinnitus
Mental Symptoms of Stress:
- Increased Anger or Frustration
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Worry and Rumination
- Guilt
- Sense of being overloaded and / or overwhelmed by problems
Additional Benefits of Biofeedback?
You may reduce the cost of medication as well as the number of physician visits from participation in Biofeedback training. With Biofeedback, you will experience an enhanced quality of life, a healthier lifestyle, improved relationships, better health with less medication, and enhanced self-sufficiency.
What IS Biofeedback?
Many clinical conditions can be treated with Biofeedback training because, interestingly, many problems brought to physicians tend to be stress-related. It is estimated that 75% of the psychological and medical problems that people bring to their physicians are either caused by stress, intensified by stress, or made to last longer because of stress.
Biofeedback is an approach that enables you to "feed-back" to your mind and body imbalances of which you are not normally aware of. At any instance, there are many minute changes occuring in our mind and body. For example, there are fluctuations in muscle activity, brain wave patterns, heart rate, blood flow, hormonal levels and gastric acidity. Many of these changes are related to psychological factors such as: anger, arousal, fear, anxiety, and depression.
The term "psychophysiologic processes" covers both physiologic and physical conditions that are related to psychological factors (i.e., mental and emotional). It is the interaction between the mind and the body that underlies much of biofeedback training. Prior to Biofeedback training many people are unaware of the moment-to-moment emotional and bodily changes that contribute to various ailments including headaches. Biofeedback training can help you to control your body, as well as to control many physical, mental, emotional and behavioral symptoms. This training has been, often times, as or more effective than medication for headaches, sleep problems, anxiety, high blood pressure, and stress. Biofeedback, independent from or integrated with other treatment, improves physiologic, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral regulation.