biofeedback /-fēd″bak/ [Gk, bios + AS, faedan, food, baec, back] , a process providing a person with visual or auditory information about the autonomic physiological functions of his or her body, such as blood pressure, muscle tension, and brain wave activity, usually through use of instruments. By trial and error, the person learns consciously to control these processes, which were previously regarded as involuntary. Biofeedback may be used clinically to treat many conditions, such as pain, anxiety, hypertension, insomnia, and migraine headache.
