Psychophysiology is the science of the relationships between psychological and physiological processes; e.g., elements of autonomic nervous system activity activated by emotion^[1.].

Stedman's Medical Dictionary cites biofeedback as "A training technique that enables an individual to gain some element of voluntary control over autonomic body functions; based on the learning principle that a desired response is learned when received information such as a recorded increase in skin temperature (feedback) indicates that a specific thought complex or action has produced the desired physiological response"^[1.].

Instrumented biofeedback was pioneered by O. Hobart Mowrer in 1938, when he used an alarm system triggered by urine to treat bedwetting in children (variations on his system are still used by some practitioners today). But it was not until the late 1960's, when Barbara Brown, Ph.D., at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Sepulveda, California, and Elmer Green, Ph.D., and Alyce Green of the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas used EEG biofeedback to observe and record the altered states/self-regulation of yogis, that biofeedback began to attract widespread attention)^[2.].

The pioneering work of Drs. Elmer and Alyce Greene in the application of biofeedback during the 1970's proved beyond any doubt that we could in fact consciously control aspects of our visceral functioning. Such functions as muscle and arterial tone, stomach acid excretion, brainwave activity and emotions which were previously thought to be controlled exclusively by the unconscious or autonomic nervous system.

This was a blow to the credibility of the dogmatic medical model which presumed that people could not control much bodily functioning and that pharmaceutical agents and surgical interventions were the only panacea for illnesses. Biofeedback was also of paramount importance in not only proving our control over our bodies, but it also proved that we can often be the cause of our illness.

Biofeedback has since expanded to many physiological changes that can be measured, and where those measurements could be "fed" back to the subject.

The word "biofeedback" was coined in late 1969 to describe laboratory procedures (which were developed in the 1940's) that trained research subjects to alter brain activity, blood pressure, muscle tension, heart rate and other bodily functions that are not normally considered to be under voluntary control.

How is it done?

Recording is non-invasive and painless utilising electrodes and specialised sensors placed strategically on the skin with non-allergenic conductive gel or paste

During biofeedback subjects are "fed back" information with reinforcing properties about their neuromuscular and autonomic activity, both normal and abnormal, in the form of analog or binary, auditory, kinesthetic and/or visual feedback signals.

The use of biofeedback as an intervention is "wholistic" in the sense that it emphasises the wholeness of the human organism.

That is, changes within one body system create changes in all other systems, to greater or lesser degrees.

Clinical biofeedback follows the principle of using specialised instruments to monitor various physiological processes as they occur. Moving graphs on a computer screen and audio tones that go up and down reflect changes as they occur in the body system being measured. Some biofeedback systems use games and picture puzzles for training.

Many different physiological processes can be monitored and used in biofeedback applications.

As already mentioned, some of the more common physiological measures used in clinical biofeedback are:

The sEMG display is a rich source of motor learning information for patients. Using sEMG, patients gain access to muscle feedback that is far more sensitive than that obtained with the intrinsic senses acting alone.

It is now recognised that the rhythm of a healthy heart under resting conditions is surprisingly irregular. This irregularity or variability is an indicator of both physiological resiliency and behavioural flexibility, reflecting the person's capacity to adapt to stress and environmental demands. A large degree of instability, or too little variation is detrimental to efficient physiological functioning. Optimal variation is necessary^[9.].

Biofeedback machines can detect a person's internal bodily functions with far greater sensitivity and precision than a person can using the intrinsic senses alone. Both participants and therapists use the information gathered from these machines to gauge and direct the progress of treatment.

Although most allopathic physicians initially viewed biofeedback practices with scepticism, researchers have repeatedly shown that it is possible for people to consciously control so called involuntary responses with training by being "fed back" the information either visually, kinesthetically or audibly about what was occurring in their bodies. Through clinical research and application, biofeedback techniques have expanded into widely used procedures that treat an ever-lengthening list of conditions.

Biofeedback research has shown that individuals can learn to consciously control brainwave activity, cardiovascular and respiratory functioning, reduce skin temperature, and voluntarily modify many autonomic processes as the table below illusrtratess.

Repeated studies have demonstrated that we have more control over so-called involuntary (autonomic) bodily functions than Western medicine once thought possible. As a result, biofeedback when properly applied, can offer individuals techniques for living a healthier life overall - whether afflicted with a medical condition or not. Biofeedback techniques have been widely utilised in enhancement and peak performance training.

It has been observed in this clinic that biofeedback tends to work quicker when combined with one or more other modalities simultaneously. These include nutrition and lifestyle measures including goal setting and exercise as well as sound therapy, breathwork, and visual imagery.

Education is an essential component of our individualised programme methodology that helps people and their families develop appropriate expectations, understand limitations, and make informed treatment decisions.

Education in the dis-ease process and development of coping strategies, including stress recognition and management, sleep patterns, nutrition, energy conservation, pain management and cognitive–behavioral intervention programmes, and physical conditioning is valuable in teaching people how to help themselves.

After a thorough history and assessment which may include a QEEG, an individualised programme will be devised aimed at restoring balance in the autonomic nervous system, and outlook. These include a combination of any of the following:- education and counselling, diet and nutrition, biofeedback and/or neurofeedback training, heart rate variability training, breathwork, bodywork, meditation, postural and movement exercises.

Consultation is by appointment only, for further information please contact:-