Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a method to teach people how to have conscious control over bodily functions that are usually automatic and unconscious. Various instruments, from temperature sensors to computers, are used to train a person to influence such functions as hand warmth, blood pressure, and brain activity.
How is it Done?
Biofeedback is noninvasive and painless. The therapist attaches sensors or electrodes to the skin. These are connected to a machine or device, such as a computer, that creates a signal you can see or hear. The signal responds to the skin’s temperature, muscle tension, or brain waves. With the therapist’s help, you learn how to change how your body behaves, with prompting from the visual or sound signal from the device. Eventually, you learn to perform the action without the machine or device.
Does it Work?
As a caregiver you may find biofeedback helpful for headaches, hypertension, and anxiety, and can reduce stress by easing muscle tension and promoting relaxation. Biofeedback also helps cancer patients cope with anxiety, mild depression, and side effects of cancer treatment such as fatigue and nausea. The strongest evidence is for biofeedback as the primary treatment for urinary incontinence, which is often a side effect of prostate cancer treatment.
Is it Safe?
Biofeedback is noninvasive and safe for most people. Like most mind/body therapies, however, it can raise anxiety in a few people. The safest choice is to work with a clinician who can provide counseling during the session.
Practitioner Qualifications
The Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA) sets standards of practice for biofeedback. There are approximately 2,000 health care professionals certified by the BCIA as biofeedback therapists. These therapists are either licensed health care professionals or work under the supervision of a licensed health care provider. They must also agree to practice according to the ethical principles of the BCIA and of their profession, and in conformity with state law.
Cost in Time and Money
Biofeedback treatment usually involves a regular series of sessions over several weeks. Some courses of treatment may last 10 to 15 sessions; others 40 to 50. Biofeedback teaches self-regulation. Once the techniques are learned, only an occasional refresher session may be needed. Treatment varies in cost, but each session is generally more than $100. Many insurance companies cover biofeedback for specific health problems.