Is Biofeedback Therapy Right for You?

Right now, your body is stuck on autopilot. 

Stress and trauma manipulate critical bodily functions—like your heart rate and breathing pattern—while your brain takes a passenger’s seat.  

But…

…what if we told you there was a way to harness the power of your brain to regain control over your health? 

Biofeedback therapy is a noninvasive treatment that helps you become aware of what’s happening inside of your body and use the influence of your brain to control it. 

Biofeedback techniques at Neurvana Naturopathic Medicine in Calgary can not only help you relieve anxiety, chronic pain, and sleep disorders, but also regain control of your happiness.

What is Biofeedback Therapy?

Biofeedback therapy helps you control your physiological responses to stress and trauma. During biofeedback therapy, physical symptoms of stress, such as your heart, sweat response, muscle activity, breathing rate and blood pressure, are recorded and displayed on a monitor for you and your biofeedback therapist to see. 

Together, you can monitor your physiological responses as they happen and receive immediate “feedback” to make positive changes in your body.

Biofeedback with a Twist

Unlike other clinics, Neurvana integrates several forms of neurofeedback and neuromodulation into our biofeedback therapy. 

Where traditional biofeedback solely analyzes stress responses sent from your body, neurofeedback allows our clinicians to also monitor signals travelling from your brain. 

Simultaneously tracking both of these reactions enables our team to improve the response times in your “feedback.”  

The effectiveness of biofeedback and neurofeedback training can create a positive, permanent shift in stress control and teach you to better use your brain in each of your sessions.

How Can You Benefit from Biofeedback Training?

Biofeedback training makes you aware of your body’s natural response to pain or tension and teaches you to control it, thus improving health and relieving stress. 

With the instant feedback you receive during biofeedback therapy, you can learn how to help your body reach its peak state without the use of medications. Plus, you can use your biofeedback techniques anywhere at any time to control chronic discomfort and cognitive issues.

Biofeedback therapy may be right for you if your goal is to:

✓ Improve your ability to focus

✓ Control high or low blood pressure

✓ Manage physical reactions to stress or anxiety

✓ Relieve symptoms of brain injuries or post-concussive syndrome

✓ Regulate brain waves that impact sleep disturbances and headaches

What to Expect from Biofeedback Techniques at Neurvana

During your biofeedback, small electrical sensors are connected to specific areas of your body—like your fingers or scalp. 

These sensors are then connected to a monitor that provides feedback on your physical responses. Throughout your biofeedback session, your biofeedback therapist will guide you through a variety of relaxation techniques including:

• Deep Breathing: A paced breathing technique that creates slower, fuller breaths.
• Visualization: A technique to concentrate your mind on a specific image or scenario.
• Mindfulness Meditation: A method to focus your thoughts and release negativity.

As you perform each technique, your biofeedback monitor will continuously update your various stress responses. 

For instance, deep breathing techniques can help visibly lower your heart and breathing rate. By learning to control your physical reaction to stress and trauma, you can better relax your body and mind.

Is Biofeedback Therapy Right for You?

While everyone can benefit from learning to control their stress response, biofeedback can be especially helpful for those suffering from emotional, physical, or cognitive conditions. 

Biofeedback therapy can be most beneficial for those struggling to control autonomous reactions, such as heart and breathing rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure.

If you or someone you love has tried multiple medications or unsuccessful therapies for one or more of the following conditions, biofeedback techniques may be right for you:

• Attention deficit disorder (ADD)/ attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• Depressive disorder or dysthymia
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Chronic pain, including fibromyalgia
• Insomnia and sleep disorders
• Post-concussive syndrome and traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Addiction or alcoholism

Frequently Asked Questions

We encourage you to schedule a discovery call to learn more about biofeedback and how you can take back control of your body. Talk to a trained health adviser today to discover the possibilities of biofeedback therapy in Calgary.