Biofeedback: An Instrument of Relaxation
In time past, in some restaurants, you could find biofeedback
machines. They offered you all sorts of
information about your body. Today,
biofeedback is still considered a legitimate way to attain relaxation. It’s a technique that uses monitoring
equipment in order to help control stress.
Biofeedback is rooted in the idea that the autonomic nervous system can
be trained. For instance, equipment can
determine heart rates, muscle tension, and blood pressure while individuals try
to change their breathing, thinking, or posture. By working with the machines, individuals can
conceivably learn the best methods for relaxation. However, the equipment can only be monitored
by someone with specific training in biofeedback.
According to Dr. Leonard Holmes, feedback can come in a variety of
forms: a line on a computer screen, a
tone of a certain pitch, or a blinking light.
A typical type of biofeedback is the EMG, which indicates the tension in
your muscles. It is important to note
that biofeedback is not active treatment.
It is up to you decide what you can do in order to lower your heartbeat
and reduce your stress level. If you
suffer from migraines or neck pain, biofeedback can also help you to relax your
muscles so that you don’t experience as much—or possibly any—pain.
In order to determine whether biofeedback would be effective in your
particular case, a stress profile might be used. Monitoring device will determine your heart
rate, blood pressure, and temperature.
You are then exposed to stress, such as a history quiz. As a result, the biofeedback professional
will have some idea how your body reacts to stressful situations.
Interestingly enough, insurance companies have been known to cover
biofeedback treatment. For instance,
biofeedback may be covered for headaches.
However, other companies view biofeedback as entirely experimental. When biofeedback first came onto the scene,
some practitioners believed that it would enable us to have nearly complete
control over our bodies. However, that
is not the case. In many situations, our
bodies are basically operating under “automatic pilot.” However, it is true that biofeedback can be
helpful to some individuals, particularly those who are looking for a means for
relaxation.
Biofeedback is used in a number of cases today. For instance, it has been used to treat
headaches, stomach problems, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, epilepsy,
and paralysis. A number of different
kinds of health professionals use biofeedback, including physical therapists,
nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and dentists. Once the biofeedback machine detects
certain physiological reactions, patients usually engage in various relaxation
exercises. Also, you as a patient may
learn about the triggers that cause certain physiological problems. You can also learn how to deal more
effectively with stressful issues that appear in your life.
It is important, however, to note that biofeedback is not a quick
fix. It cannot in itself cure any
illness. It is simply a tool that you
can use to take control of your health and well-being. With biofeedback, individuals can be
empowered to seek solutions to common health problems. Unlike other treatment programs, biofeedback
requires of great deal from the patient in order to be successful.
Would you personally benefit from biofeedback? That depends on your willingness to
experiment and your own comfort level.
If you believe that biofeedback could be beneficial, you should discuss
it with your doctor. He or she might
want to determine first whether traditional treatment would be better in your
particular case. In most cases, you will
need to have a complete physical exam before you engage in biofeedback. You may even have to undergo a neurological
test.