Biofeedback for high blood pressure

Many people are often unaware that they suffer from hypertension, i.e. permanently high blood pressure. This condition usually only causes minor symptoms and only becomes noticeable when blood pressure levels are very high. However, if high blood pressure is left untreated, it can damage the blood vessels and significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Biofeedback can play a valuable role as a supportive measure in the treatment and reduction of high blood pressure. People with prehypertension in particular - the preliminary stage of high blood pressure - can use targeted biofeedback training to prevent later illness at an early stage.

Treatment of high blood pressure with biofeedback

In addition to recording the blood pressure itself, methods focussing on targeted training of slow abdominal breathing have proven to be the most promising. Besides Breathing training methods such as temperature biofeedback, skin conductance biofeedback and heart rate variability biofeedback are also used^1,2. Cold hands and feet, which are often caused by stress, can be treated with temperature biofeedback, which involves voluntarily increasing your own hand temperature. A higher temperature in the extremities usually indicates relaxation.

When training the Heart rate variability (HRV), the aim is to synchronise heartbeat and breathing through targeted breathing training. This has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, increases general well-being and can both lower blood pressure and support drug treatment.³

Effectiveness

Biofeedback training for high blood pressure was awarded the second-highest level „Effective“ rated.⁴

A meta-analysis of biofeedback therapy for hypertension came to the conclusion that all biofeedback modalities used (temperature, skin conductance, EMG and HRV) showed psychophysiological effects. There was an improvement in diastolic blood pressure in particular³. Studies have also shown a reduction in systolic blood pressure levels through biofeedback training⁵. People with high-normal blood pressure (prehypertension) in particular, which is regarded as a precursor to clinically relevant high blood pressure, can benefit from early treatment with biofeedback in order to avoid the need for medication at a later stage⁶. After just ten HRV biofeedback training sessions, participants were able to lower their diastolic and systolic blood pressure; this effect was also maintained three months after the intervention².

In addition to lowering blood pressure, biofeedback-supported breathing training can also Fear and Stress be reduced⁷.