Biofeedback: An Alternative Therapy for a Subtle Disease

Jennifer ~ Great website review! I really understood the perspective of the mayo clinic and the physiology of Raynaud’s disease. The only thing you forgot to include were links to sub-pages of the best and worst aspects of the site. I can’t think of anything I would change.

Raynaud’s: Slowing the Blood in One’s Veins

Again, another great review! The only way I can think to improve your review is to include more details on the website itself. Your details about the disease and organization of the paper are fantastic. Good job on both reviews!

Your review of the Biofeedback: An Alternative Therapy for a Subtle Disease website was written well. Your review was easy to read and understand. I think that your relation back to our class was good but it was kind of hard to tell what was relating back to our class. It looked like you only wrote about one good and bad thing about the website so you might want to add more to it or I would just have a sentence saying there was nothing else you liked or disliked about the site.
I really liked your second paragraph. It was well written and had a lot of information in it. It flowed very nicely and it was easy to understand what the disease is and how it works.
Your review on the Raynaud’s: Slowing the Blood in One’s Veins website was quite informative. I think that more should be added to your relating it back to class paragraph. I found it a little difficult to find what related to what. I didn’t see two things you liked and disliked about the website. There were a couple of grammatical errors but they were minimal.
I really liked your paragraphs explaining the treatments of the disease. I am in the pharmaceutical field so I believe in the treatment of taking a pill but I personally don’t want to take anything, I rather try alternative treatments first. I felt you knew the website well that you were reviewing and did great job writing about it.

Raynaud’s: Slowing the Blood in One’s Veins

Very nice job on this website review! I believe that you covered everything that is required, plus you even added extra detail to help guide your readers. Just make sure that you check for grammatical and spelling errors. Good job!

Reviewed by Molly-Kate Wilkinson

Biofeedback: An Alternative Therapy for a Subtle Disease

First of all, I want you to know that you’ve thought of an intriguing title to catch your reader’s eye. I really enjoyed the thoroughness of this website review. I am glad that you've thoroughly explored this website for yourself, because it really shows. For the most part, it was easy to read and understand. My only suggestion is that you re-read to make sure that your sentences go together in a uniformed way. Other than minor suggestions, you did a nice job on this review!

Reviewed by Molly-Kate Wilkinson

Biofeedback: An Alternative Therapy for a Subtle Disease http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions...erapies/biofeedback

I really liked this website and your review of it. Im glad you picked this one cause it does explain a posible treatment for Raynauds. Even thought it is not sure why or how it works or if it will work everytime at least there are options out there. You did a nice job covering the topics and laying out your information!

Edited by author 11-19-2007 01:18 PM
Raynaud’s: Slowing the Blood in One’s Veins http://www.sclero.org/medical/symptoms/ray...-to-z.html#research

Nice job in reviewing this site. I liked how you organized your information and I think you did a good job in explaining Raynaud's. You touched all on the required topics and explained how this site was helpful and how it could be improved. Great job

Biofeedback: An Alternative Therapy for a Subtle Disease http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions...erapies/biofeedback

 The mayo clinic offers an informative site on the nature of Biofeedback. The website gives an objective description of the therapy. The experts at Mayo’s have a large population to gather their research from and nothing to gain from promotion of the work, lending to the legitimacy of the information. The writers intended the page to be used as a resource for those exploring options for their self- care.
  An alternative therapy, Biofeedback offers relief for those contending with the symptoms of Raynaud’s disease. A mysterious disease and difficult to treat directly, Raynaud’s perplexes patient and physician. Although pharmaceuticals, such as vasodialators are sometimes prescribed, no treatment has proven to be effective. Biofeedback utilizes the body’s intelligence to provide a healthier, drug-free solution. Trained therapists connect the patients to a temperature sensor on the inflicted digits. The sensors send an electrical signal that relays the message of cold to the interior of the body. The body, then, self corrects. Although there is no evidence of how or why it works, this treatment has been effective for many people.
 Raynaud’s most often effects the hands and feet. The capillaries in the extremities fail to regulate themselves to external temperature. Something goes wrong on the autonomic level. The nerves innervating the smooth muscle in the blood vessels continue to activate the action potential regardless of environmental conditions. Discomfort and even cell death results from this prolonged response that denies nourishment to the fingers and toes. Biofeedback engages the nervous system in the language of electrical stimulation in order to renew its conversation with the forgotten network.
 Much of this information is laid out on the webpage. The authors succeeded in clearly outlining what a Biofeedback treatment entails, a basic understanding of the work and also its unproven nature. The concise description is very accessible for all those skimming through on their ongoing quest for health. However, the site lacks links to more detailed information about the philosophy and the origins of the work. Also, although the page is not promoting the work, the authors do encourage people to seek out an organization through which to access the therapy. Healing comes to people in many ways. The authors should inform, not direct. The mayo clinic provides a great service by introducing and lending validity to alternative therapies. Especially in cases like Raynaud’s disease the scope of pharmaceuticals and invasive surgeries is too limited.
Jennifer Perkins

Raynaud’s: Slowing the Blood in One’s Veins http://www.sclero.org/medical/symptoms/ray...-to-z.html#research

 The International Scleroderma Network compiled this thorough website to educate the public about Scleroderma and related disorders. The non-profit organization gathered a considerable amount of research regarding the disease, exploring the symptoms, treatments, preventive measures and the physiological pathology. Raynaud’s is often the first sign of Scleroderma, As such the condition is explored as a primary symptom and also as an independent disorder.
 Raynaud’s is a rather mysterious disease that affects the function of the capillaries in the extremities. The vessels have a hypersensitive response to cold or stress. Prolonged restriction of the small blood vessels compromises their shape and function. The blood becomes sluggish and increasingly viscous, starving the cells in the endothelium of the vessel walls and neighboring tissues. Autonomic afferents release a limited amount of the vasodilator calcitonin resulting in vasoconstriction and uncomfortably cold hands and feet even in mild temperatures.
 Although researchers have gained an understanding of how Raynaud’s affects the body, little is known about why the smooth muscle of those little vessels stops functioning properly. Sometimes a symptom of a deeper disorder such as connective tissue disease or scelederma, Raynaud’s reflects a loss of awareness and vitality in the periphery of one’s being. Raynaud’s also appears among anorexics and those suffering from other nervous disorders; almost as if the disease is a reminder to reengage the spirit to the physical being.
Alternative therapies have as much success as any drugs prescribed in the treatment of Raynaud’s. The website explores many of these therapies including dietary changes, Chinese medicine and herbs as well as the importance of exercise and yoga. The authors state the importance of taking immediate action to alleviate and prevent attacks that often involve exposure to cold and stress. Self- awareness, nurturing and care seem to be the primary antidotes.
The website is overflowing with useful links that give a broad picture of the disorder. The abundant information is somewhat dense to navigate. The reader must piece together the relevant material to answer their investigations. Yet all the information for determining the best way for someone to dance with this affliction is available with a little exploration.
Jennifer Perkins

Edited by author 11-09-2007 06:28 PM
Website 1 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/raynauds-.../DS00433/DSECTION=1
I like the organization of this site how it list the main topics along the top form the symptoms to treatment to self care and alternative medication.

Website 2 http://www.sclero.org/medical/general/medi...rnative/a-to-z.html
This site provides a lot of general information but I think that it may be too broad of information and not enough facts to be completely reliable. Other than that it was neat to read about foods to avoid and different types of medications available.

Website 3 http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions...erapies/biofeedback
This is was very fascinating. I would like to give biofeedback a try for the headaches I get. This seems like a neat source to use for an alternative treatment for your topic. The bad thing about this site is that the results have no proven results and the results retrieve from patients cant be fully explained on how it works. Maybe humans really do have more brain power than we think and this is a way of proving that.

Website 4 http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseas...naud/ray_links.html
This site seems very reliable and goes into great detail about each subscript like the symptoms and who is at risk and also the treatment avaliable. When I checked out some of the links like Raynaud's Phenomenon it provided a decent amount of information also and too seem like a reliable source.

Website 1 National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Wow! I have never heard of Raynaud’s disease but it doesn’t sound fun. I liked how the website explained what the disease was and had many links to other websites to further help the explanation of the disease.

Website 2 Revolution Health
It was interesting to think of a treatment like biofeedback. That seems very interesting and I’m still not sure on how effective it would be but it sounds like a great idea to try. I think the website gave some good information but I felt they could have put some facts on the site.

Website 3 Scleroderma from A to Z
I liked this website. I thought it was great how they were helping people with Raynaud’s disease to help prevent attacks and help make life a little easier with the disease. I also liked how they listed alternatives to modern medicine so if a patient is hesitant to try or not having any luck with modern medicine they still have something else they can try.

Website 4 Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic always has great information for their patients or the public to read. The information on the website was interesting and very self explanatory to me. It was easy to navigate through the website to find additional information about the disease.

Jen, fascinating topic and you've found some interesting websites that you succinctly tell us about. Molly-Kate's provided some great analysis of those website and I have little to add. Not sure which one you woudl review as a lesser website...perhaps the revolution health, although it says the info is provided by Mayo clinic?

thanks for your detailed feedback to your peers,

LF
Choose topic: 10 points
Find four websites: 20 points
Peer reviews: 10 points

Raynaud’s disease-Topic 4
Mayo Clinic-Like-I would use this site personally for information because it is complete, credible, and provides a great deal of information. Dislike-It is difficult to find anything wrong with this site, but perhaps some graphics would be helpful?

Scleroderma and Alternative Therapies-Like-There is a great deal of information on this site; I appreciated the information on alternative treatment. Dislike-I didn’t care for the organization of this site. Even though the information is there, it seems cluttered and hard to find things.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute-Like-This is a very good source for information on Raynaud’s Disease; I would use it because it is credible. Also, the Raynaud’s disease is very interesting to me, and there is not a lot of information available. Dislike-There was really nothing that I disliked.

Biofeedback site-I could not get this site to open; I tried several times.

Website #1: Revolution Health

This website from the Mayo Clinic discusses ‘biofeedback’ and how it can help conditions like Raynauds disease. I believe that this is a reliable resource, because the Mayo Clinic is known nationwide and has done significant research to help the medical community throughout the years. I enjoyed reading their ‘What happens during a biofeedback session?’ because I am not familiar with this alternative treatment. There are several different techniques that can be used during biofeedback, so there isn’t a specific one that works for everyone. Well, no one is the exact same! I also like providers who provide information on both sides of the spectrum (positive and negative), because that means that they’re not biased.

Website #2: Scleroderma and Alternative Therapies, Herbal Supplements, and Vitamins

This website is posted by the International Scleroderma Network. I believe that this is a legitimate resource as there are many members and donors, as well as, a Medical Advisory Board. I like how they differentiate between the good diets and foods for Scleroderma with the bad diets and foods for Scleroderma; this gives you the freedom of options. I also enjoyed reading how Scleroderma and Chinese Medicine were brought together.

Website #3: Mayo Clinic

In my opinion, this is the most reliable source in regards to explaining Raynaud’s disease. Being unfamiliar with Raynaud’s disease, the Mayo Clinic “spells” everything out in clear terms that everyone can understand regardless of your medical knowledge. It was very interesting to learn about how Raynaud’s disease may be affected by temperature, but not even doctors completely understand the reasons for attacks. I was surprised to read that taking birth control pills may make you more prone to attacks associated with Raynaud’s disease.

Website #4: not listed

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/raynauds-.../DS00433/DSECTION=5
This site, offered by one of the leading medical clinics in the country, explores not only the disease and symptoms by also some alternative therapies to explore to relieve the attacks. The intention of the page is education about any number of diseases from people who have jointly seen thousands of cases.

http://www.sclero.org/medical/general/medi...rnative/a-to-z.html
This is a great website because they have numerous links to useful pages that include information regarding the exact nature of the problem, ie. the vasospasm of the capillaries of the extremities and the varing levels of severity. Written by a nonprofit whose primary purpose is to educate, the authors also offer simple solutions to a perplexing problem

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions...erapies/biofeedback
This website discusses the advantages of biofeedback mentioned in many of the offer sites as an alternative therapy for Raynaud’s. I was caught by the use of the electromyogram in the work and the relevance to the lab we did. The site is provided by the Mayo clinic to educate.