Biofeedback: A Reflection in the Mirror - Page 2

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Jul 2, 2001

Sessions are tailored according to the symptoms presented by each patient. For instance, migraine sufferers tend to have cold hands and feet as their physiological signature. The old expression “cold feet before a wedding” actually comes from a real physiological response to stress. During stress arousal, the blood goes away from the outer extremities to support the major muscle groups, and causes the blood vessels in the hands and feet to constrict and hence become colder. In this case, sessions would focus on consciously raising one’s hand temperature by using visual/auditory feedback and imagery that focuses on images of warming the hands by the fire, wearing mittens, or holding a warm cup of coffee. Biofeedback sessions are often trial and error. Some individuals aren’t receptive to imagery, so therapists may experiment with a variety relaxation techniques until finding one that works.

Regardless of one's physiological signature, all patients benefit from learning diaphraghmatic breathing, which immediately helps to lower stress arousal. Most patients with any type of anxiety or stress-related disorder have a faulty breathing pattern, which tends to be fast,shallow breathing from the chest. By wearing a respiration strain gauge (sensors that measure one's breathing pattern & rate)around the chest and one around the belly, breathing rate and pattern can be measured and visually displayed on a computer screen. The visual feedback guides the client to learn to breathe correctly from the abdomen. By giving feedback, they can make adjustments accordingly. Similarly, if a client had muscle tension, they would focus on reducing the tension using the visual and auditory feedback to guide the process.

Although biofeedback training may focus specifically on one physiological system as a means of addressing a particular presenting complaint, clients are soon reminded of the holistic nature of the body as they observe that changes made within one system create changes in all other systems. For instance, controlling one's breathing can lower back pain. The lowered stress arousal decrease stress hormones that circulate in the body, exacerbating pain symptoms.

Biofeedback training is beneficial for a wide array of complaints, and provides relief from many conditions that helps reduce, and even eliminate the need for medication. It also goes beyond the notion of simply "fixing what ails you." It awakens the realization that we have the power to make lasting changes in our bodies and minds, and the accompanying opportunity to direct these changes for life-enhancing benefits.

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