Biofeedback training can occur in a variety of facilities, such as physical therapy clinics and medical centers. It typically lasts for 30 to 60 minutes.

The therapist applies electrical sensors (electrodes) to parts of the patient’s body. These electrodes are connected to monitors that give feedback in the form of auditory (e.g., beeping, clicking sounds) or visual (e.g., flashing light, changing color) cues. The patient begins to associate the body’s responses (symptoms) with certain physical functions (e.g., tense muscles, elevated heart rate). In this manner, the patient learns how to make positive physical changes (e.g., relax muscles, reduce heart rate) to alleviate the symptoms. Relaxation helps the patient to learn this control.

The eventual goal of biofeedback training is for the patient to exercise this control alone, without the help of a therapist or technology. Depending on the condition, biofeedback typically involves as few as 10 or as many as 50 sessions over several weeks, and after learning self-regulation a patient may need no further therapy or only an occasional refresher session, according to the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America.

Many patients find it useful to assess the effectiveness of biofeedback by keeping a diary to monitor their use of the treatment. They record how they feel before, during and after the therapy. Therapists often conduct a similar profile of their patients, recording physiological values during the tests and after the tests as well as the extent of the patient’s recovery. These records can assist in pain assessment.