Bio-feedback Therapy Infographics
Citation: Clarke M. Bio-feedback Therapy Infographics. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2018;8:96-97
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Letter to Editor
What is bio-feedback?
Biofeedback therapy is a promising treatment that allows patients to better understand how involuntary bodily processes can be controlled through mental practices and relaxation techniques. It works by measuring bodily responses to electrodes that are administered through five different types of biofeedback machines. The different types of biofeedback machines can be used to measure bodily responses such as muscle tension, blood flow and brain activity. [1]
Health care specialists such as psychotherapists and biofeedback therapists use this information to find appropriate exercises to target specific conditions. Mental exercises and relaxation techniques are common treatments that assist in training the body to respond differently, especially in conditions such as anxiety and stress.
Biofeedback is not used to diagnose medical conditions. Rather, it is a form of treatment that can be applied following a medical diagnosis that is carried out by a trusted health care professional. Always consult your doctor before commencing with new treatments – although biofeedback is safe to administer by yourself at home, it is important to find out as much as possible about how it works in order to ensure that it is effective for your specific requirements.
How it works?
Bodily responses to electrodes and sensors such as skin conductance, temperature and heart rate are recorded by biofeedback machines and used to select more effective treatment plans for medical conditions such as anxiety, neurological disorders and digestive issues.
Health care specialists such as psychotherapists and biofeedback therapists use this information to find appropriate exercises to target specific conditions. Mental exercises and relaxation techniques are common treatments that assist in training the body to respond differently, especially in conditions such as anxiety and stress.
Practical examples
A recent application of biofeedback therapy is as a treatment for dysphagia. Dysphagia refers to difficulty swallowing and is a common side effect and complication of neurological disorders. Biofeedback is used to improve the swallowing function by retraining muscles located around the throat.
Biofeedback treatment as a form of therapy for stress, anxiety and anxiety-related disorders works by training the body to respond differently under stressful circumstances. By controlling the body’s intuitive response of fear within stressful situations, bodily responses such as heart rate and blood pressure will remain low and anxiety attacks will thus be circumvented.
As a treatment for digestive issues, biofeedback can be used to treat conditions such as constipation by training patients to better control muscles in the digestive system. This allows for better evacuation of stools and regulates the body’s response to factors such as stress that could impede normal functioning of the digestive system.
Thermal biofeedback treatments can be used to treat common conditions such as migraines and recurring headaches. It has proved effective in reducing both the intensity and frequency of migraines.
Biofeedback as an alternative treatment
Biofeedback therapy is a promising treatment because it is noninvasive and provides a safe alternative to traditional prescription drugs and pharmaceuticals. It is especially beneficial for patients such as pregnant women and patients with prior medical conditions who are unable to risk undergoing treatments that could cause further complications.
Biofeedback training can be safely performed at home and has little side effects. It can be combined with safe relaxation techniques and easy mental exercises in order to target certain health problems and increase efficacy. Biofeedback can be used in the long-term without causing dangers of dependency and has proven effective in treating everything from neurological disorders to digestive issues and high blood pressure.
Biofeedback training might just be the solution you’ve been waiting for and could change your life forever. Be sure to consult and follow up with a biofeedback therapist if you are not seeing any changes following regular biofeedback treatments – other techniques and exercises might be required to treat your specific condition.
The road to recovery is never quick and easy but with biofeedback therapy, it is safe and effective. Biofeedback machines are becoming more affordable by the day and can be used at home to treat your condition. Find out more about biofeedback therapy by reading the great infographic from psysci.co [Figure 1].
Figure 1: Biography therapy.
Conflict of Interest
All authors disclose that there was no conflict of interest.
The Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research is a monthly multidisciplinary medical journal.