Biofeedback, Stress & Illness

Up to 90% of the doctor visits in the USA may be triggered by a stress-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Biofeedback is an effective way to reduce the negative effects of stress.  Why is that important?  Because stress can make you sick and can even lead to death if uncontrolled.  We can learn to do something about stress.  Biofeedback helps you to control things like your heart rate, muscle tension, and brainwaves.  Your body should normally recover from stress reactions quickly and return to a normal, balanced state.  That doesn’t always happen.  Biofeedback measures how much change there is and in what direction it is.  You can then use biofeedback to measure the effects of techniques like guided relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation to see the positive effects and the return to a balanced state.

 

 

Here is a link to a good presentation on stress and illness:

http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/myers8einmodules/content/cat_570/PDFs/Module%2041.pdf

 

Here is an example of how stress can affect health.  Stress probably played a part in the quick death of former coach of the Penn State University football team Joe Paterno. 

 

Although he was at an advanced age he was still coaching up to a few months before he passed.  I strongly doubt that he would have passed so soon.  Imagine after such a record breaking, long career and the honor he received, to be fired and have his career end in a cloud of scandal.  Now that’s stress.  Here is an article that talks about it more.

 

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/sex-relationships/lifesolutions/post/2012-01-22/how-stress-may-have-played-a-role-in-paternos-death/609444/1

 

 

Harry L. Campbell

www.biofeedbackinternational.com  (healthcare professionals)

www.mindbodydevices.com   (general public)