Several interventions used in treatment of depressive symptoms can enhance cardiovascular risk due to negative impacts on autonomic balance. Decreased vagal tone and/or excessive sympathetic nervous system activity have been noted in patients with depression. Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV BFB) training may be able to reduce the cardiovascular risk for depressed patients by increasing the parasympathetic input to the heart. The results of published studies support that HRV BFB may be useful as an adjunctive treatment for patients with depression.

A review of research to the present date yielded eight studies, with a total of 150 participants: three randomized controlled trials, three quasiexperimental studies, and two case studies. Findings showed improvements in attention, memory, executive functioning, and self-reporting of symptoms. Studies also reported normalized quantitative electroencephalograms after neurofeedback. Additionally, there was an abstract for a poster presentation and an abstract from a sports concussion conference that supported neurofeedback for concussions and postconcussion syndrome, but due to the limited information in the abstracts these studies were not included.

For musicians, performance problems often go unnoticed and ignored. Many arise from overpractice and incorrect body alignment, especially in the arm, hand, and fingers. Problems manifest physiologically as muscle tension, bracing or constriction, and anxiety. Retraining with surface electromyography biofeedback and video helps identify elevations in muscle tension and incorrect body alignment. Work with biofeedback for stress reduction and neuromuscular reeducation in retraining increases self-awareness and provides feedback on practice of techniques to achieve proper tension and release of muscles, manage stress, and achieve optimal performance.

The participant describes her experience with the year-long struggle with vulvodynia, or vulvar vestibulitis (chronic pain at the entrance to the vagina), focusing particularly on biofeedback techniques. Through an introspective analysis of her physical pain, surrounding environment, diet and supplements, and overall lifestyle, she identities factors that caused the pain to increase and decrease. She identifies six main catalysts for illness and nine main catalysts for relief, with an emphasis on biofeedback, meditation, visualization, and having a good holistic health coach. Through her written account of her personal experience with the syndrome, she offers a new perspective to provide hope and relief to other patients who suffer from vulvodynia, which is often misunderstood and underreported. Seven years later, she is still symptom free.

Editor's note: This Personal Experiences article is intended to give us a glimpse into the perspective of one individual and her experience with biofeedback and neurofeedback. This is not intended to offer conclusions, recommendations, or endorsements of any kind—just a glimpse of one person's experience with and ideas about biofeedback and neurofeedback. Part 1 of this article was published in Biofeedback, 46(4), pp. 97–98.

In Part 1, Dana Wodtke told her story of being “sick for eight years with chronic fatigue syndrome/adrenal fatigue syndrome (CFS/AFS); fibromyalgia (FM); migraines averaging two to three days a week; inflammation that forced me to change careers; a 40-pound weight gain; a lot of neuroendocrine issues; hormone issues; cognitive issues; liver issues with reactions to all medications and supplements; severe tinnitus; and insomnia” (p. 97).

Previously, she had been a yoga and dance teacher and had a full-time career as a neuromuscular massage therapist until problems started at age 45. When her primary care doctor suggested neurofeedback, she found Robert Ray, PhD, LPC, LAC. She continues her story here.