Bio feeback - Book Report/Review Example

Using Biofeedback to Address Stress-Related Illnesses Using Biofeedback to Address Stress-Related Illnesses Research showsthat many common illnesses like hypertension, headaches and migraines, and stroke is caused by chronic exposure to severe stress. Hence, for many companies, stress management training has become an important component of health promotion in their organizations. One stress management technique being used today is biofeedback, a method of monitoring bodily functions, i.e. blood pressure, brain waves, breathing, muscle tension, and many others (Jasmin, 2011).

Its main goal is to “[teach] you how to control and change these bodily functions. By doing so, you feel more relaxed or more able to cause specific muscle relaxation processes” (Jasmin, 2011). Moreover, they learn techniques on how to relax, and when to relax. Through biofeedback training, employees gains greater awareness of themselves because they are alerted on which situations bring them stress, and in the process, learn how to modify their reactions to particular situations. The importance of biofeedback in stress management is already being recognized by experts as new researches are being published.

For example, a research was set out to determine whether behavior therapy through biofeedback could improve the ability of women to reduce incontinence (Burgio et al., 2008). Results show that the use of drugs alone did not improve the ability of women to reduce incontinence. Meanwhile, those who received drug and behavior therapy reported a 70% reduction in incontinence (Burgio et al., 2008, p. 165). Meanwhile, another research (Mullally, Hall, & Goldstein, 2009) showed that biofeedback resulted to fewer tension headaches compared to other therapy modalities.

This claim was strengthened with a meta-analysis of 53 researches on biofeedback and its effect on migraine and tension type headache (Nestoriuc, Rief, & Martin, 2008). Based on the meta-analysis, biofeedback was more effective compared to headache monitoring, placebo, and relaxation therapies in reducing muscle tension, self-efficacy, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and analgesic medication.ReferencesBurgio, K. L., Kraus, S. R., Menefee, S., Borello-France, D., Corton, M., Johnson, H. W., Mallett, V., et al. (2008).

Behavior Therapy to Enable Drug Discontinuation in the Treatment of Urge Incontinence: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Intern Med., 149(3), 161–169. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3201984/Jasmin, L. (2011). Biofeedback. Medline Plus. ADAM Health Solutions. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002241.htmMullally, W., Hall, K., & Goldstein, R. (2009). Efficacy of biofeedback in the treatment of migraine and tension type headaches. Pain Physician, 12(6), 1005–1011.

Nestoriuc, Y., Rief, W., & Martin, A. (2008). Meta-analysis of biofeedback for tension-type headache: efficacy, specificity, and treatment moderators. J Consult Clin Psychol., 76(3), 379–96.