Biofeedback: Using your mind to improve your health

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Biofeedback is a technique you can use to learn to control your body's functions, such as your heart rate. With biofeedback, you're connected to electrical sensors that help you receive information (feedback) about your body (bio). This feedback helps you focus on making subtle changes in your body, such as relaxing certain muscles, to achieve the results you want, such as reducing pain.

In essence, biofeedback gives you the power to use your thoughts to control your body, often to help with a health condition or physical performance. Biofeedback is often used as a relaxation technique.

Why it's done
References
  1. About biofeedback. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3441. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
  2. Find a practitioner. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3442. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
  3. Insurance coverage. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3338. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
  4. Selecting a complementary and alternative medicine practitioner. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/decisions/practitioner.htm. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
  5. Waldman SD, et al., eds. Pain Management. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2006.
  6. Greenhalgh J, et al. The effects of biofeedback for the treatment of essential hypertension: A systematic review. Health Technology Assessment. 2009;13:1.
  7. Consumer alerts. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/alerts.html. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
  8. Rakel D, et al. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2007.
  9. Mullally WJ, et al. Efficacy of biofeedback in the treatment of migraine and tension type headaches. Pain Physician. 2009;12:1005.
  10. Overview of biofeedback. Biofeedback Certification Institute of America. http://www.bcia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3524. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
  11. Bauer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
  12. AskMayoExpert. Biofeedback. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
  13. Herderschee R, et al. Feedback or biofeedback to augment pelvic floor muscle training for urinary incontinence in women (review.) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/view/0/index.html. Accessed Oct. 24, 2012.
  14. Palsson OS, et al. Psychological treatments in functional gastrointestinal disorders: A primer for the gastroenterologist. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. In press. Accessed Oct. 24, 2012.
MY01072 Jan. 26, 2013

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

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