Understanding Biofeedback Therapy and Its Types

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Biofeedback, a non-invasive approach to healthcare, is gaining popularity in the United States. 

Biofeedback therapy has clinical implications for a broad spectrum of medical problems as a nonpharmacologic treatment approach. As a result, many healthcare providers, including general practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, and others, have suggested it. 

Let’s get into depth and understand the uses of therapy and its different types.

What is Biofeedback Treatment?

Biofeedback is a mind-body approach for controlling physical functions and responses, such as muscular tension and heart rate, by using the mind. Biofeedback therapist is a sort of complementary or alternative therapy and often assists people to relax and to treat a variety of ailments. 

Biofeedback entails the placement of non-painful electrodes on your body. The electrodes are attached to a device that continuously measures and reports a specific body function or response, and a computer screen frequently displays the information.

Using this continual input, you will learn to use your thoughts to adjust or control your body's reactions. For example, to manage headache discomfort, you can learn to relax specific muscles. With practice, you'll be able to do the method without using the device.

Types of Biofeedback Therapy 

• Electromyography - It analyses and displays muscle tension and reminders to help you relax specific muscles

• Neurofeedback - This is a device that measures the activity of the brain waves. It encourages you to make adjustments to improve your concentration and other mental abilities.

• Heart Rate Variability - Patients who receive heart rate variability biofeedback, a device with sensors is used in their ears or fingers or sensors on their wrists, chest, or torso. Heart rate variability biofeedback may benefit various illnesses, including asthma and depression.

• Respiratory Biofeedback - Sensor bands are worn around the chest and belly to monitor breathing rates and patterns in respiratory biofeedback. People can learn to control their breathing rates with training, which can benefit in various scenarios, including when they are anxious.

• Galvanic Skin Response - Skin conductance, also known as galvanic skin response, is biofeedback that includes monitoring the quantity of sweat on the skin's surface. This sort of biofeedback helps monitor emotional arousal levels.

Biofeedback Therapy Examples and Purpose

Biofeedback uses relaxation techniques to help people cope with stress. To counteract your body's response to stressful events, you intentionally manage your breathing, heart rate, and other normally "involuntary" functions.

Biofeedback tends to be most helpful in situations when stress is a major factor. Treating learning difficulties, eating disorders, bedwetting, and muscle spasms are common biofeedback therapy examples.

Biofeedback can help with a variety of physical and mental health problems, including:

• asthma

• incontinence

• constipation

• irritable bowel syndrome

• side effects from chemotherapy

• high blood pressure

• Raynaud’s disease

• chronic pain

• stress or anxiety

Because it is non-invasive and does not rely on drugs, some people prefer biofeedback to treat certain disorders. Others use biofeedback in conjunction with more standard therapy approaches to improve their general health.

How Is Biofeedback Performed?

Your biofeedback treatment will occur in an outpatient clinic or a hospital setting. Each biofeedback session is between 30 and 60 minutes long. The steps in biofeedback vary based on the type of biofeedback; however, they usually include the following:

• To expose the biofeedback treatment regions, you may need to remove some clothing. As required, a gown or sheet will be provided for modesty.

• You will unwind in a comfortable position.

• Your biofeedback therapist will place electrodes on your skin that are painless. The electrodes get connected to a device that records and relays biological processes and responses. The idea is to change or control biological functions and responses through feedback.

• Your biofeedback therapist will lead mental activities. You can quickly learn to identify the mental activities that cause the desired bodily changes through trial and error. Changing your thoughts, feelings, or behavior are examples of mental activity.

Your biofeedback therapist will teach you mental exercises and relaxation techniques that you can use for at least five to ten minutes each day at home.

To Conclude:

Biofeedback therapy can benefit some people with specific problems, but it may or may not work for you. Biofeedback is still being studied to see its benefits for various conditions, and Biofeedback should get viewed as a supplemental therapy rather than a replacement for comprehensive medical care. Before attempting biofeedback, speak with your doctor. If you know more about biofeedback therapy Advantage Medical Clinic