degree, through visual and acoustic stimuli,
rewarding the achievement of higher goals by
increasing the Full-Scale (FS).
Perineal biofeedback is not an alternative treatment
to perineal electrostimulation, but a complementary
treatment, indicated when the patient, while
managing to weakly contract the perineal muscles,
is unable to sufficiently control them in cases of
sudden increases of abdominal pressure (coughing
or sudden efforts).
The EMG (electromyographic) biofeedback exploits
the small signal generated by the perineal muscles
provided on the probe electrodes. In addition to the
two electrodes on the probe (active electrodes), it is
necessary to apply a third electrode (indifferent
electrode) in correspondence with a bony
prominence (eg iliac crest). Since the surface EMG
(sEMG) taken at the vaginal or anal mucosal level is
very small (of the order of micro-volts), this
indifferent electrode is indispensable to suppress
environmental electrical interferences.
The electromyographic biofeedback, can be
implemented, as well as on the perineal muscles, by
vaginal or anal probe, on any external muscle.
In this case, instead of the probe, two adhesive
electrodes are required to be applied to the skin,
spaced 3 cm. each other along the muscle to be
treated. It is always necessary a third indifferent
electrode to be applied on a bony prominence.