Variety of treatment options for Veterans with chronic pain

Source: VAntage Point

Biofeedback is a body-based treatment that teaches Veterans to improve control over their nervous system. In turn, the nervous system is often out of balance due to chronic pain. “The stress or fight-flight response can be turned on all the time when someone has chronic pain. This results in a host of physical and emotional issues over time,” said Natasha Mroczek, a clinical health psychologist in the Veterans Integrative Pain (VIP) Center  at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System. “They can include worsening pain, depression and insomnia to name a few.”

Mroczek says biofeedback helps people gain better control over their stress response. They can wind down the stress response and engage the relaxation or recovery response. The biofeedback machine has sensors attached to the body providing real time vitals like heart rate, breathing, skin temperature, perspiration, muscle tension and brain waves.

Elmer Ligh, a physical therapist and lead biofeedback provider in the VIP Center, used biofeedback to treat over 100 Veterans last year. “I have seen how chronic pain affects Veterans more than just physically,” said Ligh. “Using biofeedback, I’m able to address the biopsychosocial aspects of chronic pain and empower Veterans by teaching them new skills which will help them experience their pain from a new perspective.” Ligh’s outcomes have been overwhelmingly positive. After about eight weekly biofeedback sessions, Veterans have reported significant improvements in their activity level, sleep, mood and stress.

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