by autumnheart » February 2nd, 2011, 6:43 pm
While the theory of biofeedback is somewhat sound, its application in medicine and effecting people hasn't been substantiated. Biofeedback should gain greater acceptance if researchers can demonstrate that it complements traditional treatments (like physical therapy), achieves comparable or superior efficacy, is more cost effective, and enjoys a better side effect profile.
But currently if someone is trying to sell you biofeedback they are selling you snake oil.
Oh and if you didn't know who these SMBC guys are, they are the one behind Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal comics and other smart funny projects. This is joke.
And as for brain waves, seeing as the limits of our technology and understanding of them can only discern from several brain states, we really have no idea what these states actually are, what feeds into them and what meaningful information can be gained form them. They just are a measure of overall brain activity, not a qualitative measure of whats actually happening.