Biofeedback is a complementary and alternative pain therapy in which the patient gains partial or complete control over various typically involuntary body functions. It belongs to the category of mind-body therapies, which seek to strengthen communication between the mind and body. This therapy is non-pharmacological, meaning that it does not involve medications.

The goal of biofeedback is to use the mind to help control the body. Therapists teach patients how to control certain involuntary body responses using feedback from a variety of monitoring procedures and equipment. This equipment usually displays biological data (e.g., heart rate, muscle tension) in a visual or auditory form, which allows a patient to become aware of body processes that are otherwise controlled unconsciously. By slowly learning to control these responses, patients can overcome various mental and physical health issues, such as migraine or panic attacks. Eventually, patients may be able to control their body’s response without the aid of the visual or auditory cues.

Mastering relaxation techniques, whether in a specific body part or in the entire body, is often a large part of biofeedback. Controlling certain body functions, such as heart rate and muscle stress, can reduce tension and pain.

Patients who participate in biofeedback may learn to control many responses, including:

• Muscle tension
• Brain-wave activity
• Skin temperature
• Respiration
• Heart rate and circulation
• Blood pressure
  

Different methods of biofeedback training are used depending on the conditions and goals of the individual patient. Some of these methods include electromyography (EMG); neurofeedback, which employs an electroencephalogram (EEG); and galvanic skin response training, which measures perspiration. Diaries or journals may be useful in determining the effectiveness of an individual patient’s use of biofeedback.

Though mind-body integration is an ancient aspect of Eastern medicine, biofeedback techniques have been developed only within the last half-century, and much about them is still not understood. Patients who use biofeedback often cannot explain how they control their body functions to relieve their symptoms. Even physicians do not fully understand how biofeedback works. However, many patients who use it often say that they feel more in control and confident about their conditions and symptoms. Once the techniques are learned in a clinical setting, the patient may be able to control body functions without the assistance of a therapist.

Biofeedback may be used in conjunction with other treatments or therapies to improve their effectiveness. It may also be used as an independent treatment alternative, particularly for patients who do not respond to or have adverse effects with traditional therapies. Biofeedback certification is available from the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA). Although this certification is not required, many biofeedback therapists in the United States choose to become certified.