Elevated Heart Rate And Biofeedback Mechanism

Heart rate is used to measure a person’s overall health and is often referred to as an indication of “vital signs”. Elevated heart rate, or tachycardia, is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease and can be caused by numerous health conditions as well as physical and psychological stress. In order to find relief and regain a normal heart rhythm, many people look to alternative therapies such as traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for centuries as a way to promote wellbeing and treat illness. It encompasses a range of treatments including herbs, acupuncture and massage. One area of TCM emphasized for treating elevated heart rate is biofeedback. This form of therapy is based on the concept of learning to recognize and control autonomic responses directly from the brain to improve overall physiological functioning. During a biofeedback session, sensors are placed on the body to measure key signals such as heart rate, breathing rate and muscle tension. Those signals are monitored and used to give feedback to the patient’s mind and body. The patient then uses various breathing and relaxation exercises to increase awareness of their own physiology. The goal of the therapy is to increase the patient’s ability to recognize and modify their body’s responses to reach a desired state. The benefits of biofeedback for treating elevated heart rate are twofold. On one hand, it helps teach the conscious mind how to directly modify the autonomic process of the body. On the other hand, by helping the patient recognize and become aware of their own body’s physiological responses, it can help to reduce the underlying physical and psychological stressors that may be causing the tachycardia. Though not scientifically proven, biofeedback has been theorized to improve the aerobic capacity of the heart which may then lead to a decrease in elevated heart rate. Though the physiological effects of biofeedback are not well understood, proponents of traditional Chinese medicine believe it to be a successful form of treatment for a range of health conditions including tachycardia.