# Biofeedback



## LTL (Dec 18, 2001)

Hi all,I for one am glad to see some posts on biofeedback, though I haven't yet had a chance to read the links - I just got back from being gone a while.A few weeks ago Eric had posted these links:www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/relax.htmwww.mindbodymed.com/EducationCenter/fight.htmlwww.ksu.edu/counseling/drstress.htmlAll of them contain rather fascinating (to me!!) info about relaxing to keep our stress hormones from creating undesirable body responses. In other words, reducing the level of stress hormones in our bodies is a good thing, & these links explain it. I've been using the techniques explained in the articles since they were posted & I think they help. Anyway, this post is supposed to be about biofeedback. This morning I got my biofeedback monitor (which I had not used for 15 yrs) & tried relaxing with it. I found it absolutely amazing how quickly a negative thought would make it scream compared to how long it took for positive thoughts to enact a recovery. Mike tells us on side one that every thought produces an effect on our bodies, and with the BF monitor, it's easy to see that effect - and also how long it takes to reverse the effects of 'bad' thoughts.Incidentally, when I bought the monitor 15 yrs ago I didn't have much luck getting the sound to decrease, but I knew that it worked because I could easily stress myself to make it increase. Today (first session!) I was able to bring the sound down regularly & consistently.I don't know if it's worth buying one of these ($50-200) to get quick feedback on the effect of thinking, but since I already have one I'm planning on using it.LTL


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Ltl, I am glad you are incorporating this into the regimen.







Thoughts and emotions create physical chemical and electrical reactions in the body for good or for bad and monitoring those reactions is a good thing.







A lot of this is crucial is managing IBS effectively.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2002)

LtL... I agree with Eric completely on this one. Way back when, I used to use "mood dots" to alert me when my anxiety was getting the best of me. After a while, you come to learn when it's happening without the mood dots (or the monitor). I think integrating the two therapies is a great idea. How long does it take you to mellow out after the monitor goes through the ceiling???


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## LTL (Dec 18, 2001)

Eric,Yep, it seems that this is going to be an ongoing thing - keeping thinking in line which in turn keeps the IBS in line. Thanks again for those articles.Artspirit,It probably only takes about a minute or two of focussed concentration to bring it back down, but that seems like an awfully long time compared with the instant rise in response to a brief thought. I suppose if I weren't using the monitor, and the incorrect thinking were to run away unnoticed for some time, it might take quite a bit longer to bring it back.LTL


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## AZMom (Oct 13, 1999)

Biofeedback works, no question, for relaxation and reducing stress levels. This may ease IBS symptoms, BUT, it will not change the habit patterns formed from years of IBS.Biofeedback for IBS is most effective when done for constipation. It is not the "therapy" type of biofeedback used for relaxation, rather a therapy done by a physical therapist to retrain the muscles used in having a bowel movement. The monitors are hooked up to the pelvic area, stomach, and anal area to learn how to relax the anal muscles while pushing the BM. This is a specialized biofeedback therapy for IBS.AZ


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## LTL (Dec 18, 2001)

Hi AZ,If I recall correctly, you did the tapes twice & found a substantial change after the second round. (So, in that sense, you are my mentor.







)I'm on about day 95 of my second round, & I was still awoken around 3 am the other day with cramps & D. Don't get me wrong - I like the tapes, they help in certain situations, but by themselves they aren't quite enough. (I may go for round 3 after a couple months of letting round 2 sink in.)I have had one period of about a month where my IBS went into remission a few years ago. During that period I was able to control my thinking to eliminate a particular type of thought - I can't even characterize it by describing it - it's not necessarily a negative thought, it can be quite positive, yet if I entertain this type of thought, it will result in the big D.The biofeedback helps me to recognize and identify thoughts that fall into the 'D provoking' category quickly. Also it's fun







to make the sound change by my thinking.







Anyway, since the hypno isn't quite cutting it (yet), I'm trying to consciously reduce the level of stress hormones floating around, & BF should help with that.







No, I suppose it won't change the habits developed over years of IBSing. But it may help to prevent reinforcing them, while the HT is trying to change them.


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