Philanthropist and medical publisher Dr. Robert L. Bard helped to spearhead the formation of a brand new network dedicated to a grouping of pain and injury care professionals. IPHA - the Integrative Pain Healers Alliance is a private self-funded professional community assembling a synergistic collective of clinical specialists, therapeutic technologists, diagnosticians, innovators, public educators, advocates and patient resources dedicated to supporting physiological care.

Thanks to the endorsement from various organizations including Nancy's List, the AngioFoundation, F.A.C.E.S. Foundation (Firefighters Against Cancer & Exposures), the Movember Foundation, and the New York Cancer Resource Alliance, IPHA was formed under tremendous support from the cancer community due to the wide exposure to post-treatment pain and injuries of patients. Moreover, the establishment of IPHA is highly supported by community groups battling the Opioid Crisis. Inspiring members including Dr. Andrew Rochman (Plainview, NY), a staunch advocate against “America's addiction to pain meds” echoes the need to unite the healers community for one voice. “It is this very attitude about pain that has driven our society into a misguided dependency for the quick fix and has created a major traffic gridlock in information and solutions. Where a western society that once ran a healthy existence on a lean diet and a proactive lifestyle, today's response trend to any discomfort is meds or visiting a specialist.”

IPHA catalogs all pain therapy innovations as part of awareness 101. The athletic community also has a leadership role in this group. Dr. Noelle Cutter, clinical researcher and top triathlete & Iron-Man runner from Long Island, NY is a staunch advocate in the IPHA message of alternative and ‘smarter’ treatment solutions. "Numbing the pain is not therapy"... It's time we adjust the way we face our injuries - by focusing on intelligent choices... drugs and surgery are not the only answers to pain!"

What is biofeedback?

IPHA has a research initiative underway to confirm other innovations including the widely recognized PEMF (Pulse Electromagnetic Frequency) and biofeedback treatment. A recent IPHA member, Dr. Silvia Binder (CEO of ONDAMED) offers an expanded healing capacity to include a full-body diagnostic scan to identify and target disfunction such as soft tissue injuries, internal wounds, inflammation, infection, scars, or cellular memory of unresolved shock and trauma. This biofeedback technology is also known to “successfully manage depression, PTSD and other mental health issues”, according to New York psychiatrist, Dr. George Tawfik.

Biofeedback is a mind-body technique that involves using visual or auditory feedback to gain control over involuntary bodily functions. This may include gaining voluntary control over such things as heart rate, muscle tension, blood flow, pain perception, and blood pressure. This process involves being connected to a device with sensors that provide feedback about specific aspects of your body.

While stimulating the body with gentle focused pulsed electromagnetic fields similar to what your own body uses for communication purposes, it helps identify stressed areas in the body with the help of the patient's pulse feedback (vascular signal). The identified stressed areas are brought to the patient's attention and stimulated for repair and regeneration of such tissue areas, which are potentially responsible for patients' symptoms and disease processes. This therapy is especially helpful to balance parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, impacting the psyche, immune system, and endocrine system.

How is biofeedback used?

Biofeedback has been used for a range of applications, including:

• Treating tension headaches, migraines, and other pain
• Controlling high and low blood pressure
• Alleviating digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome
• Helping patients control physical reactions to stress or anxiety
• Aiding in relaxation and stress management

EEG feedback has also been shown to be beneficial in managing symptoms of certain brain injuries and attention deficit disorder, and there is some evidence suggesting it might be efficacious in depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Biofeedback is particularly useful for managing stress as well as symptoms of conditions that may be exacerbated by stress. For example, therapists might use biofeedback to help patients control their responses to stress. Chronic stress can have a wide range of negative health effects including decreased immunity, heart disease, depression, digestive problems, and sleep disorders. By learning how to manage the stress response using biofeedback, patients are able to decrease the harmful physical and psychological effects of stress.

For more information on biofeedback, visit the ONDAMED website.