Psychological and physical health are very closely related. Physical illnesses frequently have a psychological component. The reverse is also true. Biofeedback is a therapy that helps one achieve a good physical health by taking charge of their mind. The mechanism through which this occurs is not well known but the general belief is that a state of relaxation is responsible. When seeking biofeedback therapy Long Island residents should know some things beforehand.
When you visit your therapist, the first thing that they do is to connect you to some sensors. This may be in the form of a finger sensor or a number of electrodes connected to your skin. The sensors help in determining a number of parameters which are general indicators of stress levels. These include, among others, skin temperature, breathing rate, heart rate and muscular activity among others.
In general when one is under some form of stress whether physical or psychological, their heart rate rises. There is associated increase in the blood pressure and a more rapid breathing rate. More often than not, there is increased sweating to help excrete some products of metabolism whose rate is increased as well. Conversely, the rates are lowered under relaxed conditions. Looked from another angle, being able to lower these parameters helps one achieve a state of relaxation.
Traditionally, biofeedback is conducted in the presence of a therapist but modern forms of treatment also encompass computer programs that aid in self-therapy. The computer uses the data collected by the sensor, synthesized it and produces an output that can be easily understood even by the lay person. The advantage with seeing a therapist in person is that they are trained to help you practice relaxation activities which may not be possible with the computer program.
A number of relaxation exercises have been shown to be effective in helping stressed out individuals. They include for example, deep breathing. This is essentially a breathing technique where a person uses their abdominal muscles to compress the lungs and expand the chest wall cavity in alternate fashion. Since the expansion and relaxation of lungs is increased, the number of breaths needed per minute will also be lowered hence a reduced respiratory rate.
Another useful technique is that which helps the individual achieve progressive relaxation of their muscles. The subject is trained over several days or weeks to relax and tense their muscles at will. As a result their learn how to reverse the effect of stress on their muscles. Other options that may be considered include guided imagery and meditation among others. These mainly focus on the avoidance of negative thoughts.
Biofeedback therapy is effective for a number of conditions. A common example includes the many forms of chronic pain (such as fibromyalgia, pelvic inflammatory disease and low back pain among others). Intractable headache is another problem for which the treatment has been used. This is because prolonged use of analgesic agents poses the risk of unwanted side effects.
There is growing acceptance of biofeedback for the management of a numerous conditions. It is now being used singly or alongside other treatment options. Practitioners that have found the therapy useful include general doctors, nurses, psychologists and psychiatrists. All indications are that the number of conditions that will benefit from the treatment is bound to keep growing.
When you visit your therapist, the first thing that they do is to connect you to some sensors. This may be in the form of a finger sensor or a number of electrodes connected to your skin. The sensors help in determining a number of parameters which are general indicators of stress levels. These include, among others, skin temperature, breathing rate, heart rate and muscular activity among others.
In general when one is under some form of stress whether physical or psychological, their heart rate rises. There is associated increase in the blood pressure and a more rapid breathing rate. More often than not, there is increased sweating to help excrete some products of metabolism whose rate is increased as well. Conversely, the rates are lowered under relaxed conditions. Looked from another angle, being able to lower these parameters helps one achieve a state of relaxation.
Traditionally, biofeedback is conducted in the presence of a therapist but modern forms of treatment also encompass computer programs that aid in self-therapy. The computer uses the data collected by the sensor, synthesized it and produces an output that can be easily understood even by the lay person. The advantage with seeing a therapist in person is that they are trained to help you practice relaxation activities which may not be possible with the computer program.
A number of relaxation exercises have been shown to be effective in helping stressed out individuals. They include for example, deep breathing. This is essentially a breathing technique where a person uses their abdominal muscles to compress the lungs and expand the chest wall cavity in alternate fashion. Since the expansion and relaxation of lungs is increased, the number of breaths needed per minute will also be lowered hence a reduced respiratory rate.
Another useful technique is that which helps the individual achieve progressive relaxation of their muscles. The subject is trained over several days or weeks to relax and tense their muscles at will. As a result their learn how to reverse the effect of stress on their muscles. Other options that may be considered include guided imagery and meditation among others. These mainly focus on the avoidance of negative thoughts.
Biofeedback therapy is effective for a number of conditions. A common example includes the many forms of chronic pain (such as fibromyalgia, pelvic inflammatory disease and low back pain among others). Intractable headache is another problem for which the treatment has been used. This is because prolonged use of analgesic agents poses the risk of unwanted side effects.
There is growing acceptance of biofeedback for the management of a numerous conditions. It is now being used singly or alongside other treatment options. Practitioners that have found the therapy useful include general doctors, nurses, psychologists and psychiatrists. All indications are that the number of conditions that will benefit from the treatment is bound to keep growing.
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