Natural Remedy for Headache -
Biofeedback
The quest for
alternative treatments continues and surveys show an
increase in popularity of biofeedback.
Biofeedback is basically a way for a
person to learn control over a body function. Headaches are
influenced by such functions as muscle tension and even
levels of hormones in the blood. By using biofeedback
techniques, information concerning these functions is
available to the person undergoing the technique.
A biofeedback session
begins with a technician attaching your body to a computer
with cables that will monitor such things as heart rate,
pulse, brain waves, perspiration, muscle activities and skin
temperature.
The readings of these
monitors will be presented video images or as sounds. There
are basically two objectives involved in biofeedback. Making
yourself more attuned with how you feel when your body is
undergoing a variety of physical changes, for instance,
changes in blood pressure, and secondly, teaching you how to
adjust your physical responses so that you can effectively
avoid problems associated with them, such as
migraines.
The actual number of
sessions you will need depends greatly upon your condition
as well as the progress you make with the biofeedback
sessions lasting from thirty to sixty minutes.
The final step
involved in biofeedback technique is fully understanding
what you have learned and then effectively applying it to
your lifestyle without the benefit of the biofeedback
machines.
Regardless of how well you respond, it
is best not to exceed fifteen sessions.
Not all biofeedback treatment is the
same. Indeed there are a variety of methods and the one you
choose will be dependent upon your individual
needs:
·
Electromyogram (EMG)
- An
EMG uses electrodes or other types of sensors to measure muscle
tension. By alerting you to muscle tension, you can learn to
recognize the feeling early on and try to control the tension
as soon as it happens. EMG is mainly used to promote the
relaxation of those muscles involved in headaches, backaches,
neck pain and grinding your teeth. An EMG may be used to treat
some illnesses where symptoms tend to worsen under stress, such
as asthma and ulcers.
·
Temperature
biofeedback -Sensors attached to your
fingers or feet measure your skin temperature. Because your
temperature often drops when you're under stress, a low reading
can prompt you to begin relaxation techniques. Temperature
biofeedback can help treat certain circulatory disorders, such
as Reynaud's disease, or reduce the frequency of
migraines.
·
Galvanic skin response training
- Sensors measure the activity of your sweat
glands and the amount of perspiration on your skin, alerting
you to anxiety. This information can be useful in treating
emotional disorders such as phobias, anxiety and
stuttering.
·
Electroencephalogram (EEG) -An EEG monitors the activity of brain
waves linked to different mental states, such as wakefulness,
relaxation, calmness, light sleep and deep sleep.
Biofeedback has proven to be an effective method for many
seeking alternative, non-traditional, non-medicated
relief from migraine. There are several appealing factors
at play in choosing to undergo biofeedback. For one
thing, if successful, it may reduce and possibly
eliminate your dependence upon drugs.
For those who don’t
respond to medication, potentially, it can help your
situation significantly. Once you begin biofeedback you
may get the extra-added appeal of feeling as if you have
genuine control over your illness. And, last but hardly
least, it could seriously curtail your medical
expenses.
However, like all other treatments,
there are some drawbacks. For instance, if you are one of
those anal-retentive types who have to know how something
works instead of relying on the fact that it does work, you
should know that experts aren’t completely convinced why it
is successful.
There are many people who have
consistently been successful in using biofeedback to fend
off a variety of health problems but are totally ignorant of
how they do it; all they can tell you is that their symptoms
have subsided with the help of this technique when other
methods did not work for them.
Although biofeedback is considered to
be one of the safer methods of migraine treatment, it is
still recommended that you discuss it with your doctor who
is knowledgeable about such techniques.
You should also be aware that
biofeedback has been known to interfere with the use of some
medications, such as insulin.
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