Biofeedback to Manage Pain Signals
| Published by | Passaic County Pain Care |
|---|---|
| Reading order | Sections are numbered in the order they build on each other. |
| Sources | Each source is linked where it is quoted. |
Biofeedback and EMG biofeedback sound like two different treatments. NCCIH describes EMG biofeedback as a type of biofeedback.
A reader in Paterson comparing therapy options will meet both names, and job titles add another layer of confusion. An explainer on what a physiatrist is defines one of those titles in plain terms.
Biofeedback in general
NCCIH reports, "Biofeedback may moderately improve low-back pain." Note the two hedges, "may" and "moderately". A claim of a sure or large effect would outrun this sentence.
EMG biofeedback is the narrower name
NCCIH also states, "Studies of electromyography (EMG) biofeedback, a type of biofeedback involving measurements of muscle tension, have found this technique helpful for tension headaches." Two details matter here. EMG is described as a type of biofeedback, and it involves measuring muscle tension. The finding quoted is about tension headaches, while the low-back sentence is about biofeedback in general. Do not borrow one finding for the other name.
Naming the condition behind a biofeedback offer
An offer that talks about "pain signals" without naming the condition does not say which of the two findings it relies on. Ask which condition, which measurement and which source. Devices, tiers and session counts are different questions, so ask for those details separately. For low-back wording to hold an offer against, the NIAMS back pain overview is a neutral reference.
The one difference to settle first
Ask which condition the biofeedback claim is about. Low-back pain and tension headache each have a different sentence behind them. If biofeedback is offered for a diagnosis with a structural name, such as spinal stenosis, read the MedlinePlus spinal stenosis page and ask which finding supports using biofeedback for that diagnosis.