activity of the internal and external rectal sphincters for the treatment of fecal
incontinence, the activity of the detrusor muscle of the urinary bladder for the treat-
ment of urinary incontinence, as well as esophageal motility and stomach acidity.The Process of Biofeedback
After the desired mode of treatment is determined for the specific disorder, electrodes
are attached to the person in the area to be monitored. These electrodes feed the
information to a computer that registers the results either with a sound tone that
varies in pitch or speed or on a visual monitor. EEG measurements produce a kind of
video game of brainwaves. The human brain produces different brain waves during
various states of consciousness. Beta waves are associated with normal or waking
consciousness; alpha waves are produced in an altered or relaxed state of conscious-
ness; and theta and delta waves are associated with unconscious and sleeping states.
When the patient produces waves associated with concentration, the game speeds
up. The game slows down when brainwaves associated with daydreaming are pro-
duced. This type of computer system can make learning control of body processes
more interactive and fun, especially for children.
A biofeedback therapist leads the patient in mental exercises to help the person
reach the desired result such as muscle relaxation or contraction or more of the
alpha brain waves. Through trial and error, trainees eventually learn how to control
the inner mechanism involved. Training typically requires 8–10 sessions, although
people with long-term or severe disorders may require more sessions. Patients are
expected to practice the skill 15–20 minutes a day throughout the training period to
incorporate into their daily lives what they have learned.
Like other forms of therapy, biofeedback is more useful for some clinical problems
than for others. Biofeedback is the preferred treatment in Raynaud’s syndrome and
in certain types of fecal and urinary incontinence. It is one of several preferred treat-
ments for tension headaches, migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, muscle
reeducation, bruxism, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), and attention
deficit disorder. Biofeedback is effective intervention in asthma, substance abuse,
anxiety, cardiac arrhythmias, essential hypertension, epilepsy, and chronic pain syn-
dromes.244 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE