Holistic Health Network

Articles

Biofeedback for Pain Management

Submitted By:

Janine Marek, M.Ed., LPC

McKinney, TX

Occasional pain or discomfort is common to most of us. However, some people become so uncomfortable with pain that they are adversely affected in their ability to maintain employment,enjoy an active, physical lifestyle or even enjoy time with family & friends. A Certified Biofeedback Professional will work in conjunction with your health care provider to help you learn how to increase daily activity levels within your physical limitations, decrease medication dependence, and learn self-management of pain with decreased pyscho-physiological arousal. An individual with chronic pain can benefit from learning general relaxation skills, specific muscle relaxation & re-education skills, diaphragmatic breathing skills to help reduce pain intensity, individual psychotherapy to deal with emotions and/or family or couple therapy. Goals of training include: individual awareness of early cues in the pain cycle, self-calming techniques, decreased intensity/frequency of pain cycles, improved mood & more restful sleep, development of more adaptive ways of thinking, feeling and responding to their pain, increased daily activity levels within physical limitations, development of generalized self-regulation skills independant of the counseling session.