# ALTERNATIVE Treatments



## Guest (Jun 23, 2002)

http://www.aapb.org/public/articles/details.cfm?id=7 What Kinds of Problems Can Biofeedback Help?Through clinical research and application, biofeedback techniques have expanded into widely used procedures that treat an ever-lengthening list of conditions. Some of these include: •Migraine headaches•Tension headaches •Other types of chronic pain •Disorders of the digestive system •Incontinence •High blood pressure •Cardiac arrhythmias (abnormalities in the rhythm of the heartbeat) •ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) •Raynaud's disease (a circulatory disorder that causes uncomfortably cold hands), •Epilepsy •Paralysis, spinal cord injury and other movement disorders. Biofeedback is an effective treatment for migraine and tension headaches among both children and adults. This has been proven by numerous controlled studies with follow-ups of up to 15 years. The American Association for Headache cites biofeedback as an acceptable treatment. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Consensus cites biofeedback as the primary treatment for urinary incontinence, a condition affecting up to 30 percent of elderly people living independently and about 50 percent of patients in long-term care facilities. Illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy or lupus, as well as strokes and prostate surgery can cause incontinence. Eighty percent of individuals with essential hypertension who underwent biofeedback training in one study reduced their prescription medications or no longer needed them at all, even after years of taking medication. More than 700 groups worldwide are using EEG biofeedback (neurofeedback) for treatment of ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). Clinicians have reported that patients who experienced a 60 to 80 percent significant improvement in the condition and a marked reduction in medication requirements. Dr. Lester Fehmi, the Director of the Princeton Biofeedback Centre is a consultant to Coach Bob Ward of the Dallas Cowboys (NFL) for stress management and performance. The New England Journal of Medicine stunned the health care world when it reported that alternative medicine almost equaled traditional medicine in total revenues. Studies on women with PMS have shown biofeedback can help relieve the symptoms. In more than 90 percent of children under the age of twelve with sleeping problems such as bedwetting, recovery is expected within the first two months of biofeedback treatment. Therapists in several states, including Florida, Wisconsin and New Jersey have found that some spinal cord injury and chronic neuromuscular disease paralysis victims have been able to regain most of their muscular limb abilities after biofeedback training. This dramatic approach is not yet readily available in many states. The results, though they sometimes appear to be miracles, (i.e., helping people told they will never walk or use their hands again to walk or feed themselves) are really just the results of practical use of existing biofeedback technologies. Numerous studies have shown that people with panic and anxiety disorders who undertake biofeedback training gain significantly in their ability to control these states, to the point that these no longer interfere with their daily life. http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content...&KW=biofeedback Research Accomplishments and Clinical ApplicationsSubstantial research exists demonstrating the effectiveness of biofeedback in a number of conditions, including bronchial asthma, drug and alcohol abuse, anxiety, tension and migraine headaches, cardiac arrhythmias, essential hypertension, Raynaud's disease/syndrome, fecal and urinary incontinence, irritable bowel (spastic colon) syndrome, muscle reeducation (strengthening weak muscles, relaxing overactive ones), hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder, epilepsy, menopausal hot flashes, chronic pain syndromes, and anticipatory nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy (Basmajian, 1989). http://www.cognitive-behavior-therapy.org/ Cognitive Behavior TherapyCBT - the therapy most likely to rewardyour hopes for a better lifeCognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has become the preferred treatment for most emotional and behavioral problems. If you believe you might benefit from professional assistance, you owe it to yourself to look into CBT. The material on this site will acquaint you with the facts about CBT so you can judge for yourself. http://www.sosprograms.com/etable.htm SOS Help For Emotions:Managing Anxiety, Anger,And Depression http://www.ncata.com/music.html Music has been used since the beginning of time to communicate and express feelings. Music therapy unites the fields of music and therapy to provide a creative treatment and medium. More specifically, music therapy combines music modalities with humanistic, psychodynamic, behavioral, and biomedical approaches to help clients attain therapeutic goals. These goals can be mental, physical, emotional, social, and/or spiritual in nature. Problems or needs are addressed both through the therapeutic relationship between the client and music therapist, as well as approached directly through the music itself.


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Thanks, Evie, for all the great info here!! I've bookmarked them. Some I'm already familiar with.Thanks for all the hard work involved finding these sites, etc.!!!!







Karen


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

bump And Thanks Art







BQ


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2002)

You're welcome BQ....and thank you too. (I'm sorry I had to be the bad guy... but it's getting good results for everyone... and that's what counts)Feisty... (Karen).... I just read your email. don't worry about making my dance performances. I seem to be sliding back into a CFS/FMS regression again... so I may not even be there if you are... but keep the door open in late July/early August. I really want to meet you... thank you... and hug you for being my friend.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Art, Bad guy???? Look, I still don't think you get it. You complained nothing else but hypno was available on this board as a treatment. I assume now, you know better. But I dunno ??? But you know, we all are here on our own time. If you want to know about other therapies... look them up and post them. Period. ????? I can't see anything that you have done, other than make people feel bad and bring much negativity to a place that used to be very positive. For that, I'll go along with your self-given title of "bad guy".BQ


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## JackieGian (Mar 23, 2002)

Artspirit,Thanks for the sites. I've bookmarked them and give them a read when I have more time.Perhaps this is what you should have done in the first place when you perceived a problem with the variety of posts on the board. Well, we all learn from our mistakes.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2002)

I wonder if for just a moment, any of you can think about the fact that I am a human being who has pain, fatigue, IBS and other problems... just like everyone else here. The board does not offer me a therapy that meets my needs. When I tried to democratically get something different going.... I was ignored. If you read the thread about splitting the board, you will note in Tom's posts that he also is saying that Eric has always tried to push other therapies away. It gets to the point that when someone won't budge... you gotta get rough to get what you want. I did not want to do it that way... and believe me, I have suffered a great deal of emotional anguish over this mess... but the end result is going to be an enhanced forum from which everyone can benefit.I'm not here to win a popularity contest. I'm here because I also need help. I wasn't getting the help that I needed, because Eric didn't want to provide it. Jeff has seen some merit in my requests. And as you can now see... he is responding... and positive things are starting to happen.I know how some of you feel about me. Sometimes I don't feel all that good about myself. But then I remember what I learned using biofeedback training and in cognitive therapy... and how good I am now doing. When I see the confidence the therapy has given me.... I know it's a good thing.The bottom line is that I don't care what any of you think of me. I did what was right by my conscience. And that is all that matters to me.


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

Artspirit, it sounds like you are doing great with your therapy. Now if you could figure out a way to package it into a product that we could all use at home for less than $100 you may get some joiners. I did biofeedback many years ago and it was useless for me, but I do recognize that times have changed and my Psychologist may have not been an "expert" in biofeedback therapy! As for Eric, I've never seen him trash anyone else's experiences on this forum and challenge you to provide the post where he did that? He joined Mike's efforts after recieving personal relief from painful, severe IBS for years. Many of us are still here advising others to try the hypnotapes because of our teriffic symptom relief. Lastly, Eric posts links to the IBS/Hypnosis category because that is where his experience and knowledge lies. He is not getting paid to direct or provide anything on this forum and is not our servant, just another very caring man attempting to help others with a process that he knows will give relief in most cases. If you have another viable alternative that can benefit us for a low price and to be used in the privacy of our homes just bring it on. If it works for 80%+ of those who try it I will help you spread the word! Norb


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2002)

While I don't yet have the Panacea.... I do appreciate your post here....


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Art, You said, "The board doesn't offer me a therapy that meets my needs." That isn't the purpose of this board. It is, I repeat, *self-help*.You said, "I wasn't getting the help I needed, because Eric didn't want to provide it."This statement is *WRONG*. I don't know what your understanding of _self-help_ is, but it ISN'T Eric's or anyone else's job to get you the help you need. This is, I'll say it again, a *self-help* group. It is *your* job to educate yourself and research possible symptom management techniques.Eric merely volunteered (you know, NOT for pay) to _moderate_ this Forum. That's it. Nothing else. I'm glad you have found some success with your symptoms. I wish you continued success.BQ


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## LTL (Dec 18, 2001)

Ditto what Norb said.If a store doesn't sell what we are looking for, we don't complain about how they aren't providing for our needs - we just go to a different store. If no one sells what we need, then there is an opportunity for us to develop & sell it ourselves (like Norb said - package it for $100 or less).As far as Eric's responsibilities go, he is, as others have said, a volunteer moderator. IMHO, he goes way beyond the call of duty in helping us with various info & links - which doesn't really seem to be the moderators job. And given that he is a volunteer, he really doesn't need to do the job at all.FWIW I like reading the stuff on biofeedback - it's interesting & I think worthwhile. I know of no one who is opposed to it. But if all posts about biofeedback stop, I'm not going to accuse anyone of anything, because no one has the responsibility to provide that info to me.


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## AZMom (Oct 13, 1999)

Norb,Ditto. You echo my thoughts completely. I too did biofeedback. I learned it quickly and easily. The therapist said, "I don't know why you're here, you can do this." You see that although I could achieve a deep state of relaxation, and control my heart rate and fingertip temperature, THE THERAPIST could not help me relate that to my IBS symptoms! This is the difference. Mike and other hypnotherapists trained in IBS know how to use relaxation techniques to improve symptoms of IBS. Artspirit,I ask again, I have yet to see an answer, if you're doing so well with CBT and biofeedback why are you here? BTW, autogenic training which you mention in regard to biofeedback is self-hypnosis.I understand the use for CBT, biofeedback, meditation, yoga, etc. in dealing with life's stresses. It is extremely useful in this regard. However, for IBS symptoms, hypnotherapy is more effective.AZ


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Well I've heard about some of the, ahem, discussion over here and had to finally take a peek.







FYI, I was just chatting in person with another lady who posts here - about "Mike's Tapes." I am doing them for the second time and am finding them quite relaxing. I didn't actually do them the second time round for "IBS" (which is mostly well under control, as much as it can be given the circumstances) but for my autonomic nervous system as a whole. I find the tapes are soothing and feel my heartbeat relaxing a bit almost immediately (now if it could only stay that way all the time!).For several months I've also been wondering about biofeedback for my dysautonomia, to more permanently control my system's oversensitivity and reactivity and my BP and heartrate. I'm told I'd probably need months and months of it and that it might not even work. I'm glad that it seems biofeedback does work for some.But...........Isn't it horridly expensive?? My insurance barely even covers physical therapy, and I doubt it would cover biofeedback. How were some of you able to swing it?


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## JackieGian (Mar 23, 2002)

HipJan,I'm just beginning to look into biofeedback for my son. I spoke to a practitioner who is also a psychologist. She told me my insurance wouldn't pay for biofeedback unless it was billed with a diagnoses of anxiety. She also said my son would probably need about 10 sessions at $80 a pop. A bit pricey, but I don't mind spending the money if it'll work.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

thanks, Jackie! I bet I'd need more than 10 sessions, myself. good luck with your son.


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

JackieGlan, I hadn[t seen this when I responded to your other post. If you are working with a psychologist he or she is probablt aware of the research on biofeedback and kids.tom


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## AZMom (Oct 13, 1999)

HipJan,YOu probably won't need as many sessions as you may think. You already know how to relax your body, the machine just makes measurements to show you that you can relax specific parts of your body. Once you know you can do it, it becomes easier and easier.AZ


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## PeacefulHart (Jun 26, 2002)

Yes, unfortunately the diagnosis needs to be specific, else insurance may not always pay. That is our cue to work even harder at getting the medicos and the attorneys to look at our case.There is no guarantee that biofeedback or hypnotherapy or any other therapy will always work. All we can do is experiment and try. Much of the outcome is dependent on the experience, education and attitude of the person undergoing the therapy.How old is your son, Jackie?


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## JackieGian (Mar 23, 2002)

He's 14.


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

check with the doctor. 14 sounds pretty adult to me.tom


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