Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a fancy machine used basically the same way a thermometer or scale is used. It's the same principle with large and more complicated biofeedback machines. (Take over the counter fever reducers or get to the emergency room.) A thermometer is telling us the bio-feedback- the information from our bodies- we need to make the decision. Depending on how high the fever is, we decide how we want to handle it.

These machines are used to chart internal functions with more accuracy than a human alone is capable of. The results are used to determine and gauge how well the treatment is working.

As an example, say you as a biofeedback patient need to learn how to relax, because you're headed for a stroke. A biofeedback machine hooked up to you in the office, you learn at what level of stress you start to have physical problems (which are indicated by lights or This is used as a gauge to help patients learn how to stay calm. A biofeedback machine hooked up to you in the office, you learn at what level of stress you start to have physical problems (which are indicated by lights or a buzzer, what ever the machine does to indicate an off balance of heart rate or stressed - tightened- muscles.) the object is for the patient to practice slowing down their heart rate or stressed - tightened- muscles.) the object is for the patient to practice slowing down their heart rate or relax their muscles until the machines light dims, or buzzer stops going off.  Along with a change in diet and exercise, you need to learn how to stay calm.

In the 1960's laboratory experiments were being conducted to examine research subject's brain wave activity, blood pressure, and other functions of the body which are under normal situations are not controlled voluntarily. The outcomes of these experiments was hoped to be increased creativity at will-by a person being able to change their own brain patterns-or even more important, the ability to decrease ones own blood pressure, making prescription blood pressure medication unnecessary.  The term biofeedback was born.

Although this hope was found to be unrealistic-too many variables-it has been recorded that biofeedback can help with other conditions such as chronic pain and stress reduction. The gift of biofeedback is that it serves to remind health care providers and patients that our thoughts and emotions do play a big role in causing and treating symptoms of illness. The basic treatment involves teaching the patient different forms of relaxation to adjust the different levels of heart rate and breathing, digesting, etc.  Biofeedback techniques can help with migraines, digestive disorders, and dangerous rhythms of heartbeat.

Relaxation seems to be the key in biofeedback, and although scientists can not yet determine exactly how it all works, they are able to document that biofeedback does, in fact, teach patients how to control seemingly involuntary conditions of the flight or fight reflex system that we all have, and once had much more strongly, when humans were threatened with physical harm more than any other. You need to commit to learning and practicing stress relieving techniques. You must adhere to regimented eating and exercise habits and change your stressful lifestyle in order to achieve results.  A lot of the outcome depends on the patient.

When we experience stress today, our bodies and the ability to control them, thus not becoming ill is at the heart of biofeedback.

By Readabout Alternative Medicine Guide Editorial Team