 | Nancy O’Donnell is an occupational therapist for Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of HealthSouth and provider of inpatient and outpatient physical, occupational and speech-language therapies and exclusive home of the AutoAmbulator robotic treadmill used in gait training. Nancy can be reached at Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, 8338 W. 13th Street in Wichita, 316-729-9999. |
Health & Medicine
2008-02-01 11:16:00
Can ‘biofeedback’ help my migraines?
I suffer from chronic migraines and have never found a medication to relieve my pain. I heard that something called biofeedback therapy might provide me answers—what is this form of treatment?
Answer: Biofeedback therapy is a form of treatment that uses feedback derived from specially designed instrumentation that detects the body’s response to various types of physical activity.
During a biofeedback session, the therapist applies sensors to various areas of the body, which monitor the body’s response to physical activity. Measurable responses, such as muscle contractions, alterations in body temperature, or increased levels of perspiration, are provided to both the therapist and patient, giving them with insight into reactions occurring as a result of pain, injury, stress, muscle weakness, or spasms.
For instance, through biofeedback, it may be discovered that a migraine headache is triggered by increased muscle tension resulting from the onset of a stressful event. By seeing this increased tension reproduced on a computer screen, the patient becomes more aware of the bodily changes occurring as a result of the triggering event. Aided with this information, the therapist guides the patient in developing a program of muscle strengthening and relaxation techniques, which help the patient learn to regulate the body’s overreactions during daily activities.
In addition to chronic headaches and migraines, biofeedback has been proven effective for a wide range of conditions including loss of bladder and bowel muscle control, muscle weakness, paralysis, overuse of pain medications, fibromyalgia and chronic pain, anxiety and stress, work or sports injuries, and complications arising after an automobile or other form of accident. Biofeedback is a good option for a variety of reasons: it can reduce or eliminate the need for medication, it can help conditions that have not responded to medications or other forms of treatment, and it allows you to take a more proactive approach to your health and wellness.
In order to receive biofeedback therapy, a patient must first obtain a written referral, including diagnosis, from a physician.
