Literature update: biofeedback and chronic pain.

Abstract

Early development of biofeedback movement (See Roberts,' Reed, Katkin and Oolband.i and Kewman and Roberts' for brief historical accounts), it was recognized that biofeedback (BF) had more than usual poten· tial the treatment of painful disorders even though these techniques were still in primitive stages ofdevelopment (p 171).4 In 13 years since that optimistic prediction was made, BF has developed into a popular and widespread treatment modality for chronic pain. Research this area is, however, primarily addressed to chronic headache (HA) and back pains; most literature reviews generally confine themselves to these two areas of chronic pain.