Biofeedback Therapy
 

Biofeedback is a scientifically proven, non-drug therapy that our clients use to control headache symptoms and reduce headache frequency. Biofeedback is like a mirror which is used for a person to become more aware of various processes in the body such as muscle tension, heart rate and temperature. Like using a mirror, to adjust one’s hair or clothing, biofeedback instruments monitor different bodily systems with the goal of the patient being able to better control those functions at will. The individual learns skills that can be applied when needed to change specific responses of the body such as to diminish – or even stop – headache pain. It is a critical therapy method for clients looking for lifelong ways to control headache beyond medications. Processes that can be controlled through different types of biofeedback skills training include muscle tension, heart rate, pain perception, blood pressure, skin conductance and brainwaves.

Tension headaches are usually caused by muscles in the neck, shoulders, jaws and other facial structures being kept too tense for too long, particularly after an injury to any of these areas. These muscles may become too tense because of: injury; the person’s inability to recognize the actual level of tension in painful muscles; awkward postures or muscle strain while working; and, over-reactions by muscles to stress, poor posture, poor sleep positioning, etc. Psychophysiological or biofeedback assessments can identify which muscles are too active and what circumstances lead to pain creating patterns of tension. Biofeedback of muscle tension is used to train people to recognize actual levels of tension and to correct these levels in conjunction with relaxation skills training.

Biofeedback teaches you how to control bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension, which once were considered to be beyond voluntary control. Decades of research has proven that, with daily practice, patients can be taught this voluntary control, and use it effectively. Our clinic features dedicated biofeedback equipment and trained clinicians who take you step-by-step through the therapeutic process. In relation to headache treatment, we most often use electromyograph (EMG) machines that use electrodes on the surface of the skin to measure the amount of electricity naturally flowing through the muscles. The machine only measures electrical flow and does not direct electricity into the body. Our State-of-the-art technology is used to display EMG results on a computer screen in real time to ensure you understand when and how you are controlling your autonomic responses. It is believed that temperature biofeedback for migraine headaches works by teaching a person how to increase the temperature in their hands which in turn opens the blood vessels throughout the body including around the brain. By reversing or preventing the restrictive flow of blood around the brain, migraine headaches can be improved. Other applications of biofeedback include anxiety, worry, stress, high blood pressure and many other physical ailments that can be triggered or worsened by stress.

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