How to Relieve Stress Through Biofeedback

Biofeedback is an alternative method of treatment in which patients use signals from their bodies to retrain various bodily functions or activities. Biofeedback can be used to treat such stress-related ailments as headaches, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure and chronic pain. Costs for treatment of stress-induced illness is moderate, as long as the patient is committed to learning the treatments to continue at home. If treatments can only be accomplished in the therapist's office, the bill could become quite expensive, even though the fee for each office visit is quite reasonable. Follow these steps to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access

Relieve Stress Through Biofeedback

1. Know your cause of stress as well as the effects stress has on you and any other problems you would like to address.
2. Find a qualified therapist. You can check with the Biofeedback Certification Institute to find Biofeedback therapists near you (see Resources below). Ask a qualified health professional for recommendations.
3. Check your therapist's qualifications. Be sure that the therapist has experience treating other patients with problems similar to yours.
4. Discuss your problems, the cause and your expectations for relief with your therapist.
5. Inquire about stress management training. In order for you to make an informed decision, your therapist should be able to tell you what the duration of each session will be, the minimum number of sessions needed and the cost of the training.
6. Begin your sessions. In each session, the patient is connected to several machines that monitor muscle tension, skin temperature, activity of sweat glands and brain waves.
7. Expect to continue training at home. This training should help you use your newfound skills in controlling involuntary responses to target and relieve stress through Biofeedback.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your therapist for references before you commit to a Biofeedback training. Belief in the effectiveness of Biofeedback will go a long way toward making it so. If you're skeptical of the potential benefits of your Biofeedback therapy, you could be doomed to being correct.
• Remember that Biofeedback therapy is not a substitute for medical care if your condition changes, does not respond to therapy or otherwise requires emergency care. Some stress-related illnesses, such as ulcers, could be become life threatening. If you see blood in stools or vomit, contact your medical doctor or get to the nearest emergency room as quickly as possible.