Biofeedback



Biofeedback


Marion Good

Jaclene A. Zauszniewski



This chapter provides an overview of biofeedback, its scientific basis, health conditions in which it is useful, and a technique that can be used by nurses trained in its practice.





SCIENTIFIC BASIS

The following data provide the basis for the use of biofeedback:



  • Biofeedback originated from research in the fields of psychophysiology, learning theory, and behavioral theory. It has been used by nurses for decades and is consistent with self-care nursing theories.


  • For centuries it was believed that responses such as heart rate were beyond the individual’s control. In the 1960s scientists found that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) had an afferent as well as a motor system, and control of ANS functioning was possible with instrumentation and conditioning.


  • Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback was first studied by Soviet scientists in the 1980s. HRV is the amount of fluctuation from the mean heart rate. It represents the interaction between sympathetic and parasympathetic systems and specifically targets autonomic reactivity. HRV biofeedback is based on the premise that slowed breathing will increase the HRV amplitude, strengthen baroreflexes, and improve ANS functioning (McKee, 2008). HRV biofeedback is easy to learn and can be used with inexpensive, user-friendly devices, some of which can be used independently in the home.


  • Neurofeedback uses electroencephalogram (EEG) feedback that shows people their real-time patterns in cortical functioning (Yucha & Montgomery, 2008).


  • The model for biofeedback is a skills-acquisition model in which individuals determine the relationship between ANS functioning and their voluntary muscle or cognitive/affective activities. They learn skills to control these activities, which are then reinforced by a visual and/or auditory display on the biofeedback instrument. The display informs the person whether control has been achieved, reinforcing learning.


  • Behavioral strategies, such as relaxation or muscle strengthening, are often part of biofeedback treatment to modify physiological activity.


  • Biofeedback with relaxation strategies can be used to control autonomic responses that affect brain waves, peripheral vascular activity, heart rate, blood glucose, and skin conductance.


  • Biofeedback combined with exercise can strengthen muscles weakened by conditions such as chronic pulmonary disease, knee surgery, or age.


Jul 14, 2016 | Posted by in NURSING | Comments Off on Biofeedback

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