Pain is a Perception in the Brain
Chronic pain is believed to be a disease of the central nervous system
that may or may not correlate with tissue damage.
The good news is it is possible to develop skills and balance the brain to ease the pain. Biofeedback training can help you master those skills.
Pain is a complex, adaptive network of 5-10 areas of the brain
With chronic pain, any of these areas can become overactive and hypersensitive.
Many studies support the conclusion that what happens in the brain including anxious thoughts and stress can increase pain.
92% of Tension Headaches
are partially due to stress & tension. Developing an awareness of onset and learning to control that stress can be key to eliminating the headaches. A Journal of Pain meta-analysis found biofeedback cut migraine pain by 43%.
Meta analysis of Biofeedback for Headache
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forms of biofeedback are effective for migraine and tension-type headaches;
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outcomes with biofeedback rival those with medications;
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combining biofeedback & medication can enhance outcomes
Read more at Biofeedback Treatment for Headache Disorders:Efficacy Review – Frank Andrasik PhD
Pain substantially increases with stress, sleep challenges, anxiety, and when the body isn’t able to fully relax. Biofeedback training is recommended by pain doctors & leading hospitals. Utilizing biofeedback as standard protocol for pain includes Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson, and John Hopkins.
“Pain is associated with a lack of control; Biofeedback can restore a sense of control.”
John Hopkins Medicine
Medications are not always helpful, they can have adverse side effects and there is always the risk of addiction. With Biofeedback there can be positive side effects including increased sleep, decreased stress and lowered blood pressure.
Research by Mark Jensen, Vice chair for research in Rehabilitation Medicine University of Washington, showed significant pre to post session decreases in pain intensity with complex regional pain syndrome using Neurofeedback Training. 50% of participants experienced a decrease in pain intensity that was clinically meaningful.