We’ve made great progress and changed many lives with our neurotherapy treatments. It may not apply to every patient but we are discovering its benefits each day.
Neurotherapy Basics
The core cells of nerves in the brain are called neurons. The connections between neurons send messages throughout our entire body. These messages might be thoughts, the release of hormones, or electrical impulses that allow you to catch a baseball.
Around 1890, a psychologist named William James made a controversial suggestion. He thought nerve tissue, including neurons in the brain, had a high degree of “plasticity” as he called it. This means he suspected they could change and grow. However, a Nobel Prize winning researcher named Santiago Ramón y Cajal suggested that nerve paths were fixed. It was his belief that was widely held for more than a century.
Fortunately, we now know that James’ original ideas were correct. We have personally seen the results of changing how the brain works, how it’s wired. Many of our neurofeedback patients have realized life-changing results in a matter of months.
Brain Mapping
We begin with a brain map test known as a quantitative electroencephalograph (qEEG) to discover the activity of four types of brain waves: Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta. Getting a brain map simply involves placing 19 non-invasive electrodes connected to a computer on a patient’s head. It doesn’t cause any pain and only passively measures the activity in your brain. In about an hour we have the data to create a three-dimensional, color-coded map of the brain showing its electrical activity. For example, if we find that Beta waves are out of balance it gives us insight into a patient’s inability to concentrate or feelings of anxiety.
We utilize positive feedback with our neurofeedback trainers to retrain the brain to function differently. This might be as simple as learning to control your own brain waves to make a cartoon fish move across a computer screen. The great thing about Neurofeedback…it changes the brain patterns, permanently in most cases. This is why we are so dedicated to it apart from traditional medication. Pharmaceuticals can help but they often treat the symptoms of the brain’s issues rather than the brain itself.
Patients who have successful Neurofeedback therapy experiences realize the difference between just managing how they function and changing how they function.
There is much more we can tell you about how Neurofeedback works, but this is a good start to understanding this innovative and encouraging therapy.
What It Helps
We continue to find new, effective uses for neurofeedback to help patients with a range of issues. Below are common issues we treat with neurofeedback:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Learning disabilities
- Autism spectrum disorders
- Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD)
- Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (MTBI)
- Sleep Disorders
- Bipolar Disorder
- OCD
- ADD/ADHD