biofeedback

[bahy-oh-feed-bak]

noun

a method of learning to control one's bodily functions by monitoring one's own brain waves, blood pressure, degree of muscle tension, etc.
the feedback thus obtained.

Origin of biofeedback

First recorded in 1970–75; bio- + feedback

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for biofeedback

Historical Examples of biofeedback

Biofeedback is a newcomer to the therapeutic world that has grown tremendously in popularity in the last ten years or so.
When You Don't Know Where to Turn
Steven J. Bartlett
Biofeedback and relaxation training (see Chapter 5) are also among these shorter-term approaches.
When You Don't Know Where to Turn
Steven J. Bartlett
Biofeedback therapy gradually enables individuals to become aware of certain physical changes in their bodies.
When You Don't Know Where to Turn
Steven J. Bartlett
Similarly, biofeedback, hypnosis, and meditation emphasize the central role of mental control.
When You Don't Know Where to Turn
Steven J. Bartlett
Biofeedback can help many people gain control over habitual, automatic processes.
When You Don't Know Where to Turn
Steven J. Bartlett

British Dictionary definitions for biofeedback

biofeedback

noun

physiol psychol a technique for teaching the control of autonomic functions, such as the rate of heartbeat or breathing, by recording the activity and presenting it (usually visually) so that the person can know the state of the autonomic function he or she is learning to controlCompare neurofeedback

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for biofeedback

also bio-feedback, 1969, from bio- + feedback. Said to have been coined by U.S. psychologist and parapsychologist Gardner Murphy (1890-1975).

biofeedback in Medicine

biofeedback

[bī′ō-fēd′băk′]

A training technique that enables a person to gain some element of voluntary control over autonomic body functions. It is based on the principle that a desired response is learned when received information indicates that a specific thought or action has produced the desired response.

biofeedback in Science

biofeedback

[bī′ō-fēd′băk′]

The technique of using monitoring devices to obtain information about an involuntary function of the central or autonomic nervous system, such as body temperature or blood pressure, in order to gain some voluntary control over the function. Using biofeedback, individuals can be trained to respond to abnormal measurements in involuntary function with specific therapeutic actions, such as muscle relaxation, meditation, or changing breathing patterns. Biofeedback has been used to treat medical conditions such as hypertension and chronic anxiety.

biofeedback in Culture

biofeedback

[(beye-oh-feed-bak)]

A training technique by which a person learns how to regulate certain body functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, or brain wave patterns, that are normally considered to be involuntary. The person learns by watching special monitoring instruments attached to the body that record changes in these functions.

Note

Biofeedback has had some success in the treatment of such disorders as chronic headaches and back pain.