Word parts
What it means
Sensors on the skin measure something the body does, such as muscle tension, heart rate, breathing or skin temperature, and show it on a screen or as a sound. Watching the signal, the person practices changing it, for example by relaxing a muscle. It is used for tension headaches, chronic pain, anxiety, and pelvic floor training for urinary or bowel incontinence.
For the nurse
Biofeedback works alongside other treatment. Encourage clients to practice the skills they learn between sessions.
Related terms
incontinence
Loss of control over the bladder or bowel, so urine or stool leaks out without the person meaning it to.
relaxation
A state of calm with less physical and mental tension, or the methods used to reach it.
feedback
Information about a result that is sent back to change what happens next, in the body or between people.
stress management
Ways of reducing stress or coping with it in healthy ways.