Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a type of non-invasive treatment that provides real-time information on brain or body functions. The goal of biofeedback is to teach people to voluntarily control functions that are typically thought of as involuntary (such as breathing or heart rate). Various forms of biofeedback have been shown to be effective in the treatment of anxiety, hypertension, incontinence, ADHD, and headaches, among other conditions.

There are a number of different types of biofeedback in use by clinicians today to target different problems. Some prominent examples:

1. Electromyography (EMG) shows users measurements of muscle tension so they can learn to reduce it.
2. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a treatment that measures brain waves. Often a game is involved in which the user must concentrate and effectively activate certain brainwaves in order to win. (EEG is currently gaining popularity as an effective treatment of ADHD.)
3. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) biofeedback uses a pulse sensor to measure changes in heart rate. The user is encouraged to increase the variability in heart rate to achieve a state of relaxation and increase vagal tone.
4. Galvanic skin response (GSR) biofeedback measures the sweat produced on the skin of the user in order to determine the user’s level of anxiety.

Stress and Your Health