Center for Health and Healing

<html><head> <title>The Center for Health & Healing</title> <link rel=stylesheet href="../chhstyle.css" type="text/css"> <meta name="keywords" content="biofeedback, finger temperature, neurofeedback"> <script language="JavaScript">  </script> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0"> <base target="_top"> <a name="head"></a> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="98%"> <tr> <td width="149" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="149" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="95%" bgcolor="#95a920"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="500" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="5%" bgcolor="#95a920"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="60" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="149" bgcolor="#ffffff" align="left" valign="top"><a name="top"></a><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="149" height="24" border="0" alt=""></td> <td> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="padding:0px 0px 0px 5px"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#95a920" align="left" valign="top"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="274" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td align="right"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="123" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr>  <tr> <td bgcolor="#95a920" width="274" align="left" valign="top" class="title">Complementary / Alternative Therapies</td> <td align="right">  <form name="form1" method="post" action=""> <select name="menu1" onChange="MM_jumpMenu('top',this,0)"> <option value="#" selected="selected">Select One</option> <option value='gen_pract.asp'>General</option> <option value='accu_pract.asp'>Acupuncture</option> <option value='acupress_pract.asp'>Acupressure/Shiatsu</option> <option value='alexander_pract.asp'>Alexander Technique</option> <option value='aroma_pract.asp'>Aromatherapy</option> <option value='art_pract.asp'>Art Therapy</option> <option value='bio_pract.asp'>Biofeedback</option> <option value='chiro_pract.asp'>Chiropractic</option> <option value='cog_pract.asp'>Cognitive Behavioral Therapy</option> <option value='cranio_pract.asp'>Cranial Therapy</option> <option value='dance_pract.asp'>Dance Therapy</option> <option value='exercise_pract.asp'>Exercise</option> <option value='feldenkrais_pract.asp'>Feldenkrais Method</option> <option value='herbal_pract.asp'>Herbal Medicine</option> <option value='homeo_pract.asp'>Homeopathy</option> <option value='hypnosis_pract.asp'>Hypnosis</option> <option value='imagery_pract.asp'>Imagery</option> <option value='massage_pract.asp'>Massage Therapy</option> <option value='meditation_pract.asp'>Meditation/Relaxation</option> <option value='music_pract.asp'>Music Therapy</option> <option value='nutrition_pract.asp'>Nutrition/Supplementation</option> <option value='osteo_pract.asp'>Osteopathy</option> <option value='prayer_pract.asp'>Prayer</option> <option value='xigong_pract.asp'>Qigong</option> <option value='reiki_pract.asp'>Reiki</option> <option value='rolfing_pract.asp'>Rolfing</option> <option value='taichi_pract.asp'>Tai Chi</option> <option value='tens_pract.asp'>TENS</option> <option value='therap_pract.asp'>Therapeutic Touch</option> <option value='trager_pract.asp'>Trager Approach</option> <option value='yoga_pract.asp'>Yoga</option> </select> </form> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td> </td> </tr>  <tr> <td valign="top" width="149" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <table width="120" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"> <tr> <td> <p><a class="leftNavOff" href="bio_pract.asp">Practitioner Statement</a></p> <p><a class="leftNavOff" href="bio_history.asp">History & Philosophy</a></p> <p><a class="leftNavOff" href="bio_treatment.asp">Treatment Approaches</a></p> <p><a class="leftNavOn" href="bio_how.asp">How it works & when to use it</a></p> <p><a class="leftNavOff" href="bio_what.asp">What you need to know about treatment</a></p> <p><a class="leftNavOff" href="bio_training.asp">Training & Licensing</a></p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">  <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="padding: 0px 0px 5px 0px;"> <p class="headline"><br> Biofeedback  How it works & when to use it</p> </td> <td width="100%"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="95a920"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="100%" bgcolor="ffffff" height="1"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="ffffff" colspan="2"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="10" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> </table>  <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td class='content'> <p><span class='head2'>Different Theories on How it Works</span><br /> Various theories are offered to explain the ability of biofeedback to alter physiological processes and effect improvement in bodily functioning. Through recorded changes in light, sound, graphs or video, biofeedback instruments enhance ones ability to detect biological signals that represent internal physiological processes and then to alter those signals and processes in a beneficial way. Highly specific responses can be learned, such as relaxing individual muscles or elevating finger temperature. It is possible that changes in a specific response, such as finger temperature, activate more generalized bodily changes through biochemical and psychophysiological interconnections. Thus, if a deep level of relaxation is achieved through a successful biofeedback training session, this may be related to a shift in total autonomic nervous system activity affecting the state of the body on a much more global level. Significant change can also occur after completion of therapy, particularly if the patient continues to practice and use self-regulation strategies and skills at home.</p> <p><span class='head2'>Conditions it Works Best For</span><br /> Biofeedback therapy has been shown to be effective in a wide array of medical conditions and stress-related disorders. Medical society clinical guidelines include biofeedback as a therapeutic option for the management of acute and chronic urinary incontinence, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, nicotine dependence, cancer pain management and migraine headaches. In addition clinical research has shown the usefulness of biofeedback in the treatment of constipation, fecal incontinence, fibromyalgia, hypertension, incontinence after radical prostatectomy, stroke rehabilitation, temporomandibular joint disorder, tinnitus and urinary incontinence in older adults.</p> <p>Current federally funded research projects are being conducted on the use of biofeedback for pain control, motor and muscle control in older adults, stress incontinence, prevention of back injuries, asthma, pain in sickle cell disease, temporomandibular disorder, chronic prostatitis, recurrent pain syndrome in children, fecal incontinence and constipation, and hypertension.</p> <p>Although used primarily for medical and mental health conditions, neurofeedback is also applied in non-clinical settings to help individuals, such as athletes and artists, achieve peak levels of performance and enhance positive health and wellness.</p> <a href='#head' target='_self' class='disclaimer'>Top</a> <p class="timestamp">Content last modified on Mar 19, 2003</p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/bg_curve.gif" width="60" height="300" align="right" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="200" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr>  <tr> <td width="149" bgcolor="ffffff"> </td> <td colspan="2" bgcolor="ffffff"> <p> </p> <p class="copyright">©2002 Center for Health and Healing</p> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>