What exactly is biofeedback?
How we learn - The importance of feedback
People can learn almost anything. The prerequisite is that there is a feedback between what is wanted and what is achieved. For example, we cannot learn to ride a bicycle if we do not feel any leaning. Most of the functions of our body and psyche, on the other hand, we cannot directly perceive or consciously influence. They are controlled automatically, such as blood pressure, skin conductance, body temperature and many others. If such a function does not work properly anymore or even fails completely, there is hardly any possibility to train it, because there is no direct influence. This is where biofeedback comes into play.
Biofeedback - Feedback of physical signals
In biofeedback, the variable to be trained is measured and processed with suitable devices - usually special sensors - and "shown" to the available senses. Usually optical or acoustic feedback signals are used for this purpose. One area of application for biofeedback is, for example, incontinence. If the sphincter muscle no longer functions properly and those affected cannot feel it, it is difficult to train it or motivate it to work better. The function (bio-) can however be measured with a probe and shown to the patient (-feedback). This simple procedure then enables the muscle to be trained directly.
Where is biofeedback used?
Biofeedback can be combined in many ways with various methods of psycho- and physiotherapy. Just by measuring body signals, such as heart rate, muscle tension, breathing, skin conductance, the patient can be shown very well how the body reacts to certain topics, thoughts, inner images or suggestions.
In this sense, biofeedback can be seen as a psychophysiological mirror, which very impressively illustrates the connections between body and psyche and thus represents an important contribution to psychoeducation. Biofeedback is also used above all - as already illustrated by the example of incontinence - as training in which patients learn to influence vegetative bodily functions in a targeted manner in a desired direction with the help of visual feedback on the monitor. This is called biofeedback therapy. The main areas of application are:
- Stress Management Training
- Relaxation training
- Support in the therapy of psychosomatic disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Migraine
- Pain therapy
What does biofeedback have to do with neurofeedback?
We have seen that biofeedback applications are based on capturing body signals (bio-) and feeding them back to the body (feedback) in order to use them for therapeutic purposes. The same applies to the brain, where it is called neurofeedback. We cannot directly feel or influence any of the many functions or dysfunctions of the brain. Neurofeedback therefore uses the EEG to derive selected signals of our own brain activity and reports them back via a monitor and loudspeakers. The recording of the signals and evaluation in real time is of course technically quite demanding and behind modern neurofeedback procedures there is a lot of clinical knowledge about the different neurofeedback methods, finding the right training frequencies, electrode positions and also symptom observation.