Biofeedback and Pain Management: A Clinical Guide

by Anu Kotay PhD, BCB

Overview

Biofeedback and Pain Management: A Clinical Guide is a practical and informative reference to help readers have a better understanding of the psychophysiology of chronic pain, biofeedback treatments, realities of living life with chronic limitations related to pain, and the role of pain in our lives and society. The book aims to organize available evidence on effective uses of biofeedback interventions for pain management, including protocols, as well as case-based examples and strategies that practitioners can refer to in real-life settings. Biofeedback and Pain Management is organized into three sections. In the first section, “Psychophysiology of Pain,” a clear treatment rationale for the use of biofeedback is illustrated, including patient-friendly language about what is biofeedback and illustrations depicting how biofeedback is a useful part of any pain management treatment plan. In the next section, “Biofeedback Protocols,” procedures are detailed based on evidence as well as case-based examples. This section is the heart of the book and offers essential strategies that readers can refer to on an as-needed basis. The final section, “Community Pain,” explores the larger social context of chronic pain, the toll it has on public health and the ongoing role of healthcare providers who witness pain-related suffering.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780443289910
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	07/01/2026
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dr. Anu Kotay is a clinical health psychologist who manages biofeedback services in Pain Medicine at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, focusing on multi-disciplinary care for patients with complex, unclear, or protracted pain conditions. She was a clinical educator and supervisor at Defense Health Agency, Montefiore Medical Center- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY Presbyterian Hospital, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She completed her MS and PhD through Alliant International University/ California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego and her BA in Psychology from George Washington University. She has served as co-investigator for clinical research trials, including co-morbid asthma/panic symptoms, unexplained physical symptoms, dementia, and received educational grants. She has published peer-reviewed articles and chapters on racial oppression in health, family systems in health care, and community messages on health behaviors. As a health psychologist, she is a speaker on topics like mothering and continuing education in biofeedback.

Table of Contents

1. What is pain?
2. How does it become sensitized?
3. How does biofeedback help?
4. First Session
5. Assessment and Psychophysiological Profile
6. Peripheral Skin Temperature
7. Breathing as Behavior
8. Heart Rate Variability
9. Muscles
10. Community pain
11. Healers as ambassadors of community pain
12. Healing pain outside in
13. Epilogue/Conclusion

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From the Publisher

One-stop resource for providers using biofeedback to manage chronic pain