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99-483: Biofeedback may be used to improve health , performance, and the physiological changes that often occur in conjunction with changes to thoughts , emotions , and behavior . Recently, technologies have provided assistance with intentional biofeedback. Eventually, these changes may be maintained without the use of extra equipment, for no equipment is necessarily required to practice biofeedback. Meta-analysis of different biofeedback treatments have shown some benefit in

198-472: A thermistor (a temperature-sensitive resistor) that is usually attached to a finger or toe and measured in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit. Skin temperature mainly reflects arteriole diameter. Hand-warming and hand-cooling are produced by separate mechanisms, and their regulation involves different skills. Hand-warming involves arteriole vasodilation produced by a beta-2 adrenergic hormonal mechanism. Hand-cooling involves arteriole vasoconstriction produced by

297-404: A LF/HF ratio and used to express sympathovagal balance. Some researchers consider a third, medium-frequency (MF) component from .08 Hz to .15 Hz, which has been shown to increase in power during times of appreciation. A pneumograph or respiratory strain gauge uses a flexible sensor band that is placed around the chest, abdomen, or both. The strain gauge method can provide feedback about

396-414: A combination of all three. Most tribal societies provide no guarantee of healthcare for the population as a whole. In such societies, healthcare is available to those that can afford to pay for it or have self-insured it (either directly or as part of an employment contract) or who may be covered by care financed by the government or tribe directly. Transparency of information is another factor defining

495-490: A delivery system. Access to information on conditions, treatments, quality, and pricing greatly affects the choice by patients/consumers and, therefore, the incentives of medical professionals. While the US healthcare system has come under fire for lack of openness, new legislation may encourage greater openness. There is a perceived tension between the need for transparency on the one hand and such issues as patient confidentiality and

594-454: A disease or controlling a pathogen can be vital to preventing it in others, such as during an outbreak . Vaccination programs and distribution of condoms to prevent the spread of communicable diseases are examples of common preventive public health measures, as are educational campaigns to promote vaccination and the use of condoms (including overcoming resistance to such). Microvolt Too Many Requests If you report this error to

693-577: A high-risk behavior, while others are due to structural causes, such as whether the society is arranged in a way that makes it easier or harder for people to get necessary healthcare services. Still, other factors are beyond both individual and group choices, such as genetic disorders . Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Source: "Constitution" . World Health Organization . Retrieved 25 September 2024 . The meaning of health has evolved over time. In keeping with

792-539: A level of awareness generally called the "unconscious". The biofeedback process is designed to interface with select aspects of these "unconscious" processes. The definition reads: Biofeedback is a process that enables an individual to learn how to change physiological activity for the purposes of improving health and performance. Precise instruments measure physiological activity such as brainwaves, heart function, breathing, muscle activity, and skin temperature. These instruments rapidly and accurately feed back information to

891-399: A limited set of possibilities. An electromyograph ( EMG ) uses surface electrodes to detect muscle action potentials from underlying skeletal muscles that initiate muscle contraction. Clinicians record the surface electromyogram (SEMG) using one or more active electrodes that are placed over a target muscle and a reference electrode that is placed within six inches of either active. The SEMG

990-466: A long time, it was set aside as an impractical ideal, with most discussions of health returning to the practicality of the biomedical model. Just as there was a shift from viewing disease as a state to thinking of it as a process, the same shift happened in definitions of health. Again, the WHO played a leading role when it fostered the development of the health promotion movement in the 1980s. This brought in

1089-489: A lower threshold, giving more time to contract the EAS and prevent incontinence, or to journey to the toilet. Alternatively, in those with urge incontinence/ rectal hypersensitivity, training is aimed at teaching the person to tolerate progressively larger volumes. Strength training may involve electromyography (EMG) skin electrodes, manometric pressures, intra-anal EMG, or endoanal ultrasound . One of these measures are used to relay

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1188-517: A new conception of health, not as a state, but in dynamic terms of resiliency, in other words, as "a resource for living". In 1984, WHO revised the definition of health defined it as "the extent to which an individual or group is able to realize aspirations and satisfy needs and to change or cope with the environment. Health is a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living; it is a positive concept, emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities." Thus, health referred to

1287-485: A night or less, were found to be four times more likely to catch a cold compared to those who reported sleeping for seven hours or more a night. Due to the role of sleep in regulating metabolism , insufficient sleep may also play a role in weight gain or, conversely, in impeding weight loss . Additionally, in 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer , which is the cancer research agency for

1386-423: A patient performs exercises while resting against an air-filled cushion. This is pertinent to physiotherapy . Alternatively, the patient may actively grip or press against an air-filled cushion of custom shape. Mowrer detailed the use of a bedwetting alarm that sounds when children urinate while asleep. This simple biofeedback device can quickly teach children to wake up when their bladders are full and to contract

1485-513: A radical departure from previous definitions, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed a definition that aimed higher, linking health to well-being , in terms of "physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity". Although this definition was welcomed by some as being innovative, it was also criticized for being vague and excessively broad and was not construed as measurable. For

1584-587: A secondary care setting. Tertiary care medical services are provided by specialist hospitals or regional centers equipped with diagnostic and treatment facilities not generally available at local hospitals. These include trauma centers , burn treatment centers, advanced neonatology unit services, organ transplants , high-risk pregnancy, radiation oncology , etc. Modern medical care also depends on information – still delivered in many health care settings on paper records, but increasingly nowadays by electronic means . In low-income countries, modern healthcare

1683-402: A sweat duct, conductance increases. Skin conductance is measured in microsiemens (millionths of a siemens ). In skin potential , a therapist places an active electrode over an active site (e.g., the palmar surface of the hand) and a reference electrode over a relatively inactive site (e.g., forearm). Skin potential is the voltage that develops between eccrine sweat glands and internal tissues and

1782-425: A system of universal health care that aims to guarantee care for all through a single-payer health care system, or compulsory private or co-operative health insurance . This is intended to ensure that the entire population has access to medical care on the basis of need rather than ability to pay. Delivery may be via private medical practices or by state-owned hospitals and clinics, or by charities, most commonly by

1881-741: A unified signal that is then able to be compared to other signals using the same processing techniques. Biofeedback therapists use EMG biofeedback when treating anxiety and worry , chronic pain , computer-related disorder, essential hypertension , headache (migraine, mixed headache, and tension-type headache ), low back pain , physical rehabilitation ( cerebral palsy , incomplete spinal cord lesions, and stroke ), temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), torticollis , and fecal incontinence , urinary incontinence , and pelvic pain . Physical therapists have also used EMG biofeedback for evaluating muscle activation and providing feedback for their patients. A feedback thermometer detects skin temperature with

1980-473: A visible component of the United States' approach to improving population health. In each decade, a new version of Healthy People is issued, featuring updated goals and identifying topic areas and quantifiable objectives for health improvement during the succeeding ten years, with assessment at that point of progress or lack thereof. Progress has been limited to many objectives, leading to concerns about

2079-476: Is malnutrition , especially among children. One of the groups malnutrition affects most is young children. Approximately 7.5 million children under the age of 5 die from malnutrition, usually brought on by not having the money to find or make food. Bodily injuries are also a common health issue worldwide. These injuries, including bone fractures and burns , can reduce a person's quality of life or can cause fatalities including infections that resulted from

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2178-423: Is a biofeedback technique of a conscious control of blood flow. An electronic device called a rheoencephalograph [from Greek rheos 'stream, anything flowing', from rhein 'to flow'] is utilized in brain blood flow biofeedback. Electrodes are attached to the skin at certain points on the head and permit the device to measure continuously the electrical conductivity of the tissues of structures located between

2277-409: Is a functional infrared imaging technique. As its name describes, it measures the differences in the color of light reflected back through the scalp based on the relative amount of oxygenated and unoxygenated blood in the brain. Research continues to determine its reliability, validity, and clinical applicability. HEG is used to treat ADHD and migraine, and for research. Pressure can be monitored as

2376-413: Is a treatment for anismus (paradoxical contraction of puborectalis during defecation). This therapy directly evolved from the investigation anorectal manometry where a probe that can record pressure is placed in the anal canal. Biofeedback therapy is also a commonly used and researched therapy for fecal incontinence, but the benefits are uncertain. Biofeedback therapy varies in the way it is delivered. It

2475-523: Is achieved through different combination of physical, mental , and social well-being—a combination sometimes referred to as the "health triangle." The WHO's 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion further stated that health is not just a state, but also "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities." Focusing more on lifestyle issues and their relationships with functional health, data from

2574-510: Is also unknown if one type has benefits over another. The aims have been described as to enhance either the rectoanal inhibitory reflex (RAIR), rectal sensitivity (by discrimination of progressively smaller volumes of a rectal balloon and promptly contracting the external anal sphincter (EAS)), or the strength and endurance of the EAS contraction. Three general types of biofeedback have been described, though they are not mutually exclusive, with many protocols combining these elements. Similarly there

2673-557: Is an ongoing process, shaped by both the evolution of health care knowledge and practices as well as personal strategies and organized interventions for staying healthy. An important way to maintain one's personal health is to have a healthy diet. A healthy diet includes a variety of plant-based and animal-based foods that provide nutrients to the body. Such nutrients provide the body with energy and keep it running. Nutrients help build and strengthen bones, muscles, and tendons and also regulate body processes (i.e., blood pressure ). Water

2772-634: Is associated with activation and focused thinking. High beta is associated with anxiety, hypervigilance , panic , peak performance, and worry . EEG activity from 36 to 44 Hz is also referred to as gamma. Gamma activity is associated with perception of meaning and meditative awareness. Neurotherapists use EEG biofeedback when treating addiction , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disability , anxiety disorders (including worry , obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder), depression , migraine, and generalized seizures . A photoplethysmograph (PPG) measures

2871-595: Is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. The population in question can be as small as a handful of people or as large as all the inhabitants of several continents (for instance, in the case of a pandemic ). Public health has many sub-fields, but typically includes the interdisciplinary categories of epidemiology , biostatistics and health services . environmental health , community health , behavioral health , and occupational health are also important areas of public health. The focus of public health interventions

2970-616: Is considered insufficient. In 1992, the United States Agency for Health Care Policy and Research recommended biofeedback as a first-line treatment for adult urinary incontinence. In 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended against the routine use of use biofeedback in managing urinary incontinence in women who can actively contract the pelvic floor. It may be considered though, to aid motivation and adherence to therapy. Biofeedback

3069-415: Is essential for growth, reproduction and good health. Macronutrients are consumed in relatively large quantities and include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and fatty acids. Micronutrients – vitamins and minerals – are consumed in relatively smaller quantities, but are essential to body processes. The food guide pyramid is a pyramid-shaped guide of healthy foods divided into sections. Each section shows

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3168-582: Is housework, yardwork, walking or standing up when talking on the phone, is often thought to be better than none when it comes to health. Sleep is an essential component to maintaining health. In children, sleep is also vital for growth and development. Ongoing sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk for some chronic health problems. In addition, sleep deprivation has been shown to correlate with both increased susceptibility to illness and slower recovery times from illness. In one study, people with chronic insufficient sleep, set as six hours of sleep

3267-424: Is inserted into the vagina to monitor pelvic floor muscle contraction, satisfies all the requirements of a biofeedback device and enhances the effectiveness of popular Kegel exercises. Contradicting this, a 2023 Systematic Review of the literature including eight studies found the scientific evidence to compare pelvic floor muscle training for urinary and anal incontinence after childbirth with and without biofeedback

3366-503: Is measured in microvolts (millionths of a volt). In addition to surface electrodes, clinicians may also insert wires or needles intramuscularly to record an EMG signal. While this is more painful and often costly, the signal is more reliable since surface electrodes pick up cross talk from nearby muscles. The use of surface electrodes is also limited to superficial muscles, making the intramuscular approach beneficial to access signals from deeper muscles. The electrical activity picked up by

3465-445: Is measured in millivolts (thousandths of a volt). In skin resistance , also called galvanic skin response (GSR), an electrodermograph imposes a current across the skin and measures the amount of opposition it encounters. Skin resistance is measured in kΩ (thousands of ohms). Biofeedback therapists use electrodermal biofeedback when treating anxiety disorders , hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), and stress. Electrodermal biofeedback

3564-400: Is more sensitive than a thermistor to minute blood flow changes. Biofeedback therapists can use a photoplethysmograph to supplement temperature biofeedback when treating chronic pain, edema, headache (migraine and tension-type headache), essential hypertension, Raynaud's disease, anxiety, and stress. The electrocardiogram (ECG) uses electrodes placed on the torso, wrists, or legs, to measure

3663-402: Is often too expensive for the average person. International healthcare policy researchers have advocated that "user fees" be removed in these areas to ensure access, although even after removal, significant costs and barriers remain. Separation of prescribing and dispensing is a practice in medicine and pharmacy in which the physician who provides a medical prescription is independent from

3762-543: Is replaced by low-amplitude desynchronized beta activity during movement, complex problem-solving, and visual focusing. This phenomenon is called alpha blocking. The synchronous sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) ranges from 12 to 15 Hz and is located over the sensorimotor cortex (central sulcus). The sensorimotor rhythm is associated with the inhibition of movement and reduced muscle tone. The beta rhythm consists of asynchronous waves and can be divided into low beta and high beta ranges (13–21 Hz and 20–32 Hz). Low beta

3861-732: Is the branch of science focused on health. There are two main approaches to health science: the study and research of the body and health-related issues to understand how humans (and animals) function, and the application of that knowledge to improve health and to prevent and cure diseases and other physical and mental impairments. The science builds on many sub-fields, including biology , biochemistry , physics , epidemiology , pharmacology , medical sociology . Applied health sciences endeavor to better understand and improve human health through applications in areas such as health education , biomedical engineering , biotechnology and public health . Organized interventions to improve health based on

3960-402: Is the dominant frequency from ages 1 to 2, and is associated in adults with deep sleep, critical for memory, cognition, sleep maintenance, and mental health. Disorders that disrupt sleep such as insomnia, traumatic brain injury, obstructive sleep apnea, and other neuropsychiatric conditions are also associated with the delta rhythm. The synchronous theta rhythm ranges from 4 to 7 Hz. Theta

4059-467: Is the dominant frequency in healthy young children and is associated with drowsiness or starting to sleep, REM sleep, hypnagogic imagery (intense imagery experienced before the onset of sleep), hypnosis, attention, and processing of cognitive and perceptual information. The synchronous alpha rhythm ranges from 8 to 13 Hz and is defined by its waveform and not by its frequency. Alpha activity can be observed in about 75% of awake, relaxed individuals and

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4158-422: Is to prevent and manage diseases, injuries and other health conditions through surveillance of cases and the promotion of healthy behavior , communities , and (in aspects relevant to human health) environments . Its aim is to prevent health problems from happening or re-occurring by implementing educational programs , developing policies , administering services and conducting research . In many cases, treating

4257-412: Is used as an adjunct to psychotherapy to increase client awareness of their emotions. In addition, electrodermal measures have long served as one of the central tools in polygraphy ( lie detection ) because they reflect changes in anxiety or emotional activation. An electroencephalograph (EEG) measures the electrical activation of the brain from scalp sites located over the human cortex. The EEG shows

4356-401: Is variance of the length of both the individual sessions and the overall length of the training, and if home exercises are performed in addition and how. In rectal sensitivity training, a balloon is placed in the rectum, and is gradually distended until there is a sensation of rectal filling. Successively smaller volume reinflations of the balloon aim to help the person detect rectal distension at

4455-490: The Alameda County Study suggested that people can improve their health via exercise , enough sleep , spending time in nature, maintaining a healthy body weight , limiting alcohol use, and avoiding smoking . Health and illness can co-exist, as even people with multiple chronic diseases or terminal illnesses can consider themselves healthy. If you want to learn about the health of a population, look at

4554-650: The World Health Organization , declared that "shiftwork that involves circadian disruption is probably carcinogenic to humans", speaking to the dangers of long-term nighttime work due to its intrusion on sleep. In 2015, the National Sleep Foundation released updated recommendations for sleep duration requirements based on age, and concluded that "Individuals who habitually sleep outside the normal range may be exhibiting signs or symptoms of serious health problems or, if done volitionally, may be compromising their health and well-being." Health science

4653-516: The biomedical perspective, early definitions of health focused on the theme of the body's ability to function; health was seen as a state of normal function that could be disrupted from time to time by disease . An example of such a definition of health is: "a state characterized by anatomic, physiologic, and psychological integrity; ability to perform personally valued family, work, and community roles; ability to deal with physical , biological , psychological , and social stress ". Then, in 1948, in

4752-563: The cardiovascular system . According to the National Institutes of Health , there are four types of exercise: endurance , strength , flexibility , and balance . The CDC states that physical exercise can reduce the risks of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, depression, and anxiety. For the purpose of counteracting possible risks, it is often recommended to start physical exercise gradually as one goes. Participating in any exercising, whether it

4851-536: The pharmacist who provides the prescription drug . In the Western world there are centuries of tradition for separating pharmacists from physicians. In Asian countries, it is traditional for physicians to also provide drugs. Public health has been described as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It

4950-769: The 1974 Lalonde report from Canada; the Alameda County Study in California; and the series of World Health Reports of the World Health Organization, which focuses on global health issues including access to health care and improving public health outcomes, especially in developing countries . The concept of the " health field, " as distinct from medical care , emerged from the Lalonde report from Canada. The report identified three interdependent fields as key determinants of an individual's health. These are: The maintenance and promotion of health

5049-480: The RAIR occurs (i.e. when there is rectal distension). There is some research that shows the effects of biofeedback on irritable bowel syndrome. However, there may be some adverse effects when using these devices. In 2010 and 2017, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended against the use of biofeedback in managing constipation in children. Caton recorded spontaneous electrical potentials from

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5148-439: The ability to maintain homeostasis and recover from adverse events. Mental, intellectual, emotional and social health referred to a person's ability to handle stress, to acquire skills, to maintain relationships, all of which form resources for resiliency and independent living . This opens up many possibilities for health to be taught, strengthened and learned. Since the late 1970s, the federal Healthy People Program has been

5247-400: The activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at will. (Emphasis added by author.) In both of these definitions, a cardinal feature of the concept is the association of the "will" with the result of a new cognitive "learning" skill. Some examine this concept and do not necessarily ascribe it simply to a willful acquisition of a new learned skill but also extend

5346-451: The air they breathe, the water they drink, and the places where they live. The environment is often cited as an important factor influencing the health status of individuals. This includes characteristics of the natural environment , the built environment and the social environment . Factors such as clean water and air , adequate housing , and safe communities and roads all have been found to contribute to good health, especially to

5445-582: The amplitude of electrical activity at each cortical site, the amplitude and relative power of various wave forms at each site, and the degree to which each cortical site fires in conjunction with other cortical sites (coherence and symmetry). The EEG uses precious metal electrodes to detect a voltage between at least two electrodes located on the scalp. The EEG records both excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) that largely occur in dendrites in pyramidal cells located in macrocolumns, several millimeters in diameter, in

5544-512: The behavior conditioning aspect of biofeedback in promoting significant changes in the functioning of the organism. The principle of information is both complex and, in part, controversial. The term itself is derived from the Latin verb informare which means literally 'to bring into form or shape'. The meaning of information is largely affected by the context of usage. Probably the simplest and perhaps most insightful definition of information

5643-507: The benefit of humans, such as in the sense of healthy communities , healthy cities or healthy environments . In addition to health care interventions and a person's surroundings, a number of other factors are known to influence the health status of individuals. These are referred to as the "determinants of health", which include the individual's background, lifestyle, economic status, social conditions and spirituality; Studies have shown that high levels of stress can affect human health. In

5742-630: The commonly-used fast Fourier transform (FFT). The FFT splits the HRV data into a power spectrum , revealing the waveform's constituent frequencies. Among those constituent frequencies, high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) components are defined as above and below .15 Hz, respectively. As a rule of thumb, the LF component of HRV represents sympathetic activity, and the HF component represents parasympathetic activity. The two main components are often represented as

5841-411: The digits or hand and wrist. Orienting responses to unexpected stimuli, arousal and worry, and cognitive activity can increase eccrine sweat gland activity, increasing the conductivity of the skin for electric current. In skin conductance , an electrodermograph imposes an imperceptible current across the skin and measures how easily it travels through the skin. When anxiety raises the level of sweat in

5940-407: The dynamics into the realms of a behavioristic conditioning. Behaviorism contends that it is possible to change the actions and functions of an organism by exposing it to a number of conditions or influences. Key to the concept is not only that the functions are unconscious but that conditioning processes themselves may be unconscious to the organism. Information coded biofeedback relies primarily on

6039-419: The effectiveness of Healthy People in shaping outcomes in the context of a decentralized and uncoordinated US health system. Healthy People 2020 gives more prominence to health promotion and preventive approaches and adds a substantive focus on the importance of addressing social determinants of health. A new expanded digital interface facilitates use and dissemination rather than bulky printed books as produced in

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6138-954: The electrical activity of the heart and measures the interbeat interval (distances between successive R-wave peaks in the QRS complex ). The interbeat interval, divided into 60 seconds, determines the heart rate at that moment. The statistical variability of that interbeat interval is what we call heart rate variability. The ECG method is more accurate than the PPG method in measuring heart rate variability. Biofeedback therapists use heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback when treating asthma , COPD , depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia , heart disease , and unexplained abdominal pain . Research shows that HRV biofeedback can also be used to improve physiological and psychological wellbeing in healthy individuals. HRV data from both polyplethysmographs and electrocardiograms are analyzed via mathematical transformations such as

6237-442: The electrodes is recorded and displayed in the same fashion as the surface electrodes. Prior to placing surface electrodes, the skin is normally shaved, cleaned and exfoliated to get the best signal. Raw EMG signals resemble noise (electrical signal not coming from the muscle of interest) and the voltage fluctuates; therefore, they are processed normally in three ways: rectification, filtering, and integration. This processing allows for

6336-411: The electrodes. The brain blood flow technique is based on non-invasive method of measuring bio-impedance. Changes in bio-impedance are generated by blood volume and blood flow and registered by a rheographic device. The pulsative bio-impedance changes directly reflect the total blood flow of the deep structures of brain due to high frequency impedance measurements. Hemoencephalography or HEG biofeedback

6435-680: The end of expiration) exhaled through the nostril into a latex tube. The average value of end-tidal CO 2 for a resting adult is 5% (36 Torr or 4.8 kPa). A capnometer is a sensitive index of the quality of patient breathing. Shallow, rapid, and effortful breathing lowers CO 2 , while deep, slow, effortless breathing increases it. Biofeedback therapists use capnometric biofeedback to supplement respiratory strain gauge biofeedback with patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders, asthma, chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (COPD), essential hypertension, panic attacks, and stress. Rheoencephalography (REG), or brain blood flow biofeedback,

6534-421: The expertise or procedures performed by specialists. These include both ambulatory care and inpatient services, Emergency departments , intensive care medicine , surgery services, physical therapy , labor and delivery , endoscopy units, diagnostic laboratory and medical imaging services, hospice centers, etc. Some primary care providers may also take care of hospitalized patients and deliver babies in

6633-778: The exposed cortical surface of monkeys and rabbits, and was the first to measure event-related potentials (EEG responses to stimuli) in 1875. Health Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. In general, it refers to physical and emotional well-being , especially that associated with normal functioning of the human body , absent of disease , pain (including mental pain ), or injury . Health can be promoted by encouraging healthful activities, such as regular physical exercise and adequate sleep, and by reducing or avoiding unhealthful activities or situations, such as smoking or excessive stress . Some factors affecting health are due to individual choices , such as whether to engage in

6732-427: The first decade of the 21st century, the conceptualization of health as an ability opened the door for self-assessments to become the main indicators to judge the performance of efforts aimed at improving human health. It also created the opportunity for every person to feel healthy, even in the presence of multiple chronic diseases or a terminal condition, and for the re-examination of determinants of health (away from

6831-511: The globe. Disease is one of the most common. According to GlobalIssues.org, approximately 36 million people die each year from non-communicable (i.e., not contagious) diseases, including cardiovascular disease , cancer , diabetes and chronic lung disease. Among communicable diseases, both viral and bacterial, AIDS / HIV , tuberculosis , and malaria are the most common, causing millions of deaths every year. Another health issue that causes death or contributes to other health problems

6930-448: The health and well-being of their employees, as are school health services to improve the health and well-being of children. Contemporary medicine is in general conducted within health care systems . Legal, credentialing and financing frameworks are established by individual governments, augmented on occasion by international organizations, such as churches. The characteristics of any given health care system have significant impact on

7029-410: The health of infants and children. Some studies have shown that a lack of neighborhood recreational spaces including natural environment leads to lower levels of personal satisfaction and higher levels of obesity , linked to lower overall health and well-being. It has been demonstrated that increased time spent in natural environments is associated with improved self-reported health, suggesting that

7128-426: The increased firing of sympathetic C-fibers . Biofeedback therapists use temperature biofeedback when treating chronic pain, edema , headache (migraine and tension-type headache), essential hypertension, Raynaud's disease , anxiety, and stress . An electrodermograph (EDG) measures skin electrical activity directly (skin conductance and skin potential) and indirectly (skin resistance) using electrodes placed over

7227-475: The individual and society. According to the World Health Organization , the main determinants of health include the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and the person's individual characteristics and behaviors. More specifically, key factors that have been found to influence whether people are healthy or unhealthy include the following: An increasing number of studies and reports from different organizations and contexts examine

7326-404: The individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community". Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness. Mental illness is described as 'the spectrum of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral conditions that interfere with social and emotional well-being and

7425-438: The injury (or the severity injury in general). Lifestyle choices are contributing factors to poor health in many cases. These include smoking cigarettes, and can also include a poor diet, whether it is overeating or an overly constrictive diet. Inactivity can also contribute to health issues and also a lack of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, and neglect of oral hygiene. There are also genetic disorders that are inherited by

7524-615: The lifestyle of their families . For example, genetics may play a role in the manner in which people cope with stress , either mental, emotional or physical. For example, obesity is a significant problem in the United States that contributes to poor mental health and causes stress in the lives of many people. One difficulty is the issue raised by the debate over the relative strengths of genetics and other factors; interactions between genetics and environment may be of particular importance. A number of health issues are common around

7623-478: The linkages between health and different factors, including lifestyles, environments, health care organization and health policy , one specific health policy brought into many countries in recent years was the introduction of the sugar tax . Beverage taxes came into light with increasing concerns about obesity, particularly among youth. Sugar-sweetened beverages have become a target of anti-obesity initiatives with increasing evidence of their link to obesity. —such as

7722-709: The lives and productivity of people. Having a mental illness can seriously impair, temporarily or permanently, the mental functioning of a person. Other terms include: 'mental health problem', 'illness', 'disorder', 'dysfunction'. Approximately twenty percent of all adults in the US are considered diagnosable with a mental disorder. Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada. Examples of these disorders include schizophrenia , ADHD , major depressive disorder , bipolar disorder , anxiety disorder , post-traumatic stress disorder and autism .  Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including: Achieving and maintaining health

7821-859: The lungs), reverse breathing (breathing where the abdomen expands during exhalation and contracts during inhalation), and thoracic breathing (shallow breathing that primarily relies on the external intercostals to inflate the lungs). Dysfunctional breathing behaviors include apnea (suspension of breathing), gasping, sighing, and wheezing. A pneumograph is often used in conjunction with an electrocardiograph (ECG) or photoplethysmograph (PPG) in heart rate variability (HRV) training. Biofeedback therapists use pneumograph biofeedback with patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders, asthma, chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (COPD), essential hypertension, panic attacks , and stress. A capnometer or capnograph uses an infrared detector to measure end-tidal CO 2 (the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in expired air at

7920-410: The muscular activity or anal canal pressure during anal sphincter exercise. Performance and progress can be monitored in this manner. Co-ordination training involves the placing of 3 balloons, in the rectum and in the upper and lower anal canal. The rectal balloon is inflated to trigger the RAIR, an event often followed by incontinence. Co-ordination training aims to teach voluntary contraction of EAS when

8019-434: The past. The impact of these changes to Healthy People will be determined in the coming years. Systematic activities to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health in humans are undertaken by health care providers . Applications with regard to animal health are covered by the veterinary sciences . The term "healthy" is also widely used in the context of many types of non-living organizations and their impacts for

8118-495: The person and can vary in how much they affect the person (and when they surface). Although the majority of these health issues are preventable, a major contributor to global ill health is the fact that approximately 1 billion people lack access to health care systems. Arguably, the most common and harmful health issue is that a great many people do not have access to quality remedies. The World Health Organization describes mental health as "a state of well-being in which

8217-412: The positive health benefits of natural space in urban neighborhoods should be taken into account in public policy and land use. Genetics , or inherited traits from parents, also play a role in determining the health status of individuals and populations. This can encompass both the predisposition to certain diseases and health conditions, as well as the habits and behaviors individuals develop through

8316-553: The possible exploitation of information for commercial gain on the other. Provision of medical care is classified into primary, secondary, and tertiary care categories. Primary care medical services are provided by physicians , physician assistants , nurse practitioners , or other health professionals who have first contact with a patient seeking medical treatment or care. These occur in physician offices, clinics , nursing homes , schools, home visits, and other places close to patients. About 90% of medical visits can be treated by

8415-432: The primary care provider. These include treatment of acute and chronic illnesses, preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. Secondary care medical services are provided by medical specialists in their offices or clinics or at local community hospitals for a patient referred by a primary care provider who first diagnosed or treated the patient. Referrals are made for those patients who required

8514-528: The principles and procedures developed through the health sciences are provided by practitioners trained in medicine , nursing , nutrition , pharmacy , social work , psychology , occupational therapy , physical therapy and other health care professions . Clinical practitioners focus mainly on the health of individuals, while public health practitioners consider the overall health of communities and populations. Workplace wellness programs are increasingly being adopted by companies for their value in improving

8613-631: The recommended intake for each food group (i.e., protein, fat, carbohydrates and sugars). Making healthy food choices can lower one's risk of heart disease and the risk of developing some types of cancer , and can help one maintain their weight within a healthy range. The Mediterranean diet is commonly associated with health-promoting effects. This is sometimes attributed to the inclusion of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds , isoprenoids and alkaloids . Physical exercise enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It strengthens one's bones and muscles and improves

8712-413: The relative blood flow through a digit using a photoplethysmographic (PPG) sensor attached by a Velcro band to the fingers or to the temple to monitor the temporal artery . An infrared light source is transmitted through or reflected off the tissue, detected by a phototransistor , and quantified in arbitrary units. Less light is absorbed when blood flow is greater, increasing the intensity of light reaching

8811-416: The relative expansion/contraction of the chest and abdomen, and can measure respiratory rate (the number of breaths per minute). Clinicians can use a pneumograph to detect and correct dysfunctional breathing patterns and behaviors. Dysfunctional breathing patterns include clavicular breathing (breathing that primarily relies on the external intercostals and the accessory muscles of respiration to inflate

8910-403: The sensor. A photoplethysmograph can measure blood volume pulse (BVP), which is the phasic change in blood volume with each heartbeat, heart rate, and heart rate variability (HRV), which consists of beat-to-beat differences in intervals between successive heartbeats. A photoplethysmograph can provide useful feedback when temperature feedback shows minimal change. This is because the PPG sensor

9009-477: The sensorimotor rhythm, low beta, high beta, and gamma. The thresholds or boundaries defining the frequency ranges vary considerably among professionals. Fast cortical potentials can be described by their predominant frequencies, but also by whether they are synchronous or asynchronous wave forms. Synchronous wave forms occur at regular periodic intervals, whereas asynchronous wave forms are irregular. The synchronous delta rhythm ranges from 0.5 to 3.5 Hz. Delta

9108-420: The traditional approach that focuses on the reduction of the prevalence of diseases). In general, the context in which an individual lives is of great importance for both his health status and quality of life. It is increasingly recognized that health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of health science , but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of

9207-406: The treatment of headaches and migraines and ADHD , though most of the studies in these meta-analyses did not make comparisons with alternative treatments. Information coded biofeedback is an evolving form and methodology in the field of biofeedback. Its uses may be applied in the areas of health, wellness and awareness. Biofeedback has its modern conventional roots in the early 1970s. Over

9306-513: The upper cortical layers. Neurofeedback monitors both slow and fast cortical potentials. Slow cortical potentials are gradual changes in the membrane potentials of cortical dendrites that last from 300 ms to several seconds. These potentials include the contingent negative variation (CNV), readiness potential , movement-related potentials (MRPs), and P300 and N400 potentials. Fast cortical potentials range from 0.5 Hz to 100 Hz. The main frequency ranges include delta, theta, alpha,

9405-431: The urinary sphincter and relax the detrusor muscle, preventing further urine release. Through classical conditioning, sensory feedback from a full bladder replaces the alarm and allows children to continue sleeping without urinating. Kegel developed the perineometer in 1947 to treat urinary incontinence (urine leakage) in women whose pelvic floor muscles are weakened during pregnancy and childbirth. The perineometer, which

9504-413: The user. The presentation of this information—often in conjunction with changes in thinking, emotions, and behavior—supports desired physiological changes. Over time, these changes can endure without continued use of an instrument. A more simple definition could be: Biofeedback is the process of gaining greater awareness of many physiological functions primarily using instruments that provide information on

9603-475: The way medical care is provided. From ancient times, Christian emphasis on practical charity gave rise to the development of systematic nursing and hospitals and the Catholic Church today remains the largest non-government provider of medical services in the world. Advanced industrial countries (with the exception of the United States ) and many developing countries provide medical services through

9702-400: The years, biofeedback as a discipline and a technology has continued to mature and express new versions of the method with novel interpretations in areas utilizing the electromyograph , electrodermograph, electroencephalograph and electrocardiogram among others. The concept of biofeedback is based on the fact that a wide variety of ongoing intrinsic natural functions of the organism occur at

9801-431: Was given by Gregory Bateson—"Information is news of change" or another as "the difference that makes a difference". Information may also be thought of as "any type of pattern that influences the formation or transformation of other patterns". Recognizing the inherent complexity of an organism, information coded biofeedback applies algorithmic calculations in a stochastic approach to identify significant probabilities in

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