Essential Facts On Biofeedback Therapy Santa Fe Patients Should Know

By Angela Briggs


Feedback is a very important biological adaptation to virtually every living organism. It is the means by which responses to changes in the internal and external environments can be mounted. This happens through what are known as feedback loops. Biofeedback as a treatment option works in more or less the same way. If they plan on having biofeedback therapy Santa Fe need to understand it fully so as to weigh the advantages and the disadvantages.

The way this works is quite simple. Sub threshold signals from various physiological processes are detected and relayed to a person as an external output. The patient then learns to modify the physiological process by responding to the signal. This is what is known as conditioning. Over the last several decades, biofeedback has undergone huge improvements thanks to research activities by psychologists.

The physiological processes that can be monitored are mainly the involuntary biological functions. This is achieved by the use of special instruments depending on the system that is being evaluated. Electrical potentials of muscle fibers are one of the components measured and this is done by the electromyogram or EMG. Brain activity is measured using an instrument known as the electroencephalogram. Other parameters include skin temperature, heart rate and blood pressure.

Signals that are usually undetectable under normal circumstances are detected and amplified. They are then converted into either audio or visual output for the patient to respond. There is direct proportionality between the level of signal produces and the initial stimulus produced by the physiological process. The signal is higher when the patient is distressed and lower when they are more relaxed.

Over the years, the list of applications of biofeedback has continued to grow. Anxiety disorders are perhaps the commonest indication for this treatment. They include, among others, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Persons with these conditions are trained on how to relax and overcome the associated feelings of apprehension.

Many other conditions with known organic causes have been said to be responsive to the treatment to varying degrees. Conditions that are aggravated or precipitated by panic states are in particular very amenable to the therapy. Asthma is one of these conditions. In asthma, the main pathology is an increase in airway resistance that makes it difficult to breathe. The electromyogram helps to detect this resistance and through relaxation, the resistance can be reduced. Other medical conditions that may benefit include hypertension, tension headaches, dysmenorrhea, bruxism and hyperactivity.

To benefit optimally from this treatment, one needs to bear responsibility for their health. The importance of active participation in looking for treatment cannot be overemphasized. The patient needs to constantly examine their lives and identify any potential stressors that may be responsible for their suffering and focus towards eliminating or modifying them. Commitment to therapy is central to its success.

When undergoing biofeedback therapy Santa Fe residents need to know that the response is better when it is combined with other modalities. Commonly, it is used alongside treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapies, psychodynamic psychotherapies and pharmacological treatment. Social support also improves response.




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