Biofeedback interventions for gastrointestinal conditions: a systematic review
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2026

Using An In Vitro Tissue Perfusion System to Detect the Functional Activities of Isolated Intestinal Tubes in Real Time
Published on: July 26, 2024
Ian D Coulter1, Joya T Favreau, Mary L Hardy
1University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry, USA.
Objective:
To review evidence for the efficacy of biofeedback in the treatment of gastrointestinal problems.
Data Sources:
Studies were identified through a search of MEDLINE, HealthSTAR, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine, MANTIS, PsycINFO, Social Science Citation Index, Science Citation Index, and CINAHL.
Study Selection:
Studies were selected if they used biofeedback as the intervention, addressed the treatment of a gastrointestinal condition, and included a control group.
Data Extraction:
All titles (4397), articles, and/or abstracts (1362) were evaluated by 2 independent reviewers who extracted data on study design and quality, sample size, type of intervention, and outcomes.
Data Synthesis:
We found 16 controlled trials of biofeedback for gastrointestinal problems. Ten studies had a comparison group that did not receive biofeedback (5 studies on constipation and/or encopresis, 3 on fecal incontinence, 1 on constipation, and 1 on abdominal pain). Of the 10 studies that had a "no biofeedback" control arm, 7 provided sufficient data to calculate an effect size. Of these 7 studies, 2 favored biofeedback: 1 study revealed a reduction in fecal incontinence among adults, and the other study showed an improvement in constipation with fecal incontinence (encopresis) among children. The other 5 had nonsignificant results. Three studies had a "no biofeedback" comparison arm but insufficient data to calculate an effect size. One of these studies in adult fecal incontinence reported statistically significant improvement.
Conclusions:
The evidence is insufficient to support the efficacy of biofeedback for these gastrointestinal conditions.
Related Concept Videos
Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System I: Subjective Data
Health History
The initial step in assessing the GI system is obtaining a comprehensive health history. This includes inquiring about the patient's history or presence of problems related to...
Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome III: Medical and Nursing Management
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the colonic...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
Imaging Studies III: Gastrointestinal Motility Studies and Virtual Colonoscopy
Radionuclide Testing
Radionuclide testing is a sophisticated medical technique for assessing gastrointestinal motility. It focuses on gastric emptying and colonic transit time. Radioactive markers track the movement of food through the digestive system, providing insights into gastrointestinal disorders.
In gastric emptying studies, a meal's liquid and solid...