HEALTH WITHIN - Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Quantitative EEG Brain-mapping?
- What is Neurofeedback?
- How Does Neurofeedback work?
- Is Neurofeedback New?
- How does training transfer to everyday situations?
- Do insurance companies reimburse for neurofeedback?
- About the field
- Why haven’t I heard about neurofeedback? Is it experimental?
- What Conditions can Neurofeedback help with?
What is Quantitative EEG Brain-mapping?
Quantitative EEG brain-mapping is an assessment tool to objectively and scientifically evaluate a person’s brainwave function. This is a non-invasive diagnostic test that measures the electrical activity coming from 19 areas of the brain.
QEEG Brain-mapping has shown a scientifically documented ability to aid in the evaluation of conditions such as mild traumatic brain injury, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, panic disorder, autism, schizophrenia, stroke, epilepsy, and dementia.
What is Neurofeedback?
Neurofeedback, also called EEG biofeedback, or Brain Training is a system of training the brain with reward and/or inhibit sounds to reach a desired outcome. Using neurofeedback, the brain can be taught subconsciously how to regulate in order to diminish unwanted mental, emotional and/or physical disregulations that can occur throughout our lives. (See page on Trauma).
Neurofeedback provides immediate information to your Central Nervous System (CNS) which is the “control center” for your entire body and regulates how your body will function. Imbalances in your brainwave activity significantly impact the ability of your CNS to function properly. Neurofeedback training balances and regulates your brain wave activity thus allowing your CNS to function at its optimum. This is a natural, medication-free approach that allows your brain to regulate from the inside out.
How Does Neurofeedback work?
During training, electrodes are placed on your scalp and earlobes. The electrodes record the electrical patterns coming from your brain – much like a physician listens to your heart from the surface of your skin. No electrical current is put into your brain.
Your brainwave patterns of activity are compiled by the computer software (The TLC System) and multiple reports are generated to be interpreted by the neurofeedback provider. A training plan is then developed. By showing your brain healthier patterns (via auditory and visual feedback), it learns to regulate, recondition and retrain itself. The brain gradually develops the ability to maintain that behavior by itself. It’s like taking your brain to the gym for regular workouts.
Is Neurofeedback New?
Neurofeedback has now been studied for over 40 years, and many of its clinical applications have been identified for quite some time. As with any “new” modality, the literature published about it will focus on areas in which the treatment is most successful.
Since the brain is so vital to every aspect of our lives, improving overall brain function has widespread positive results. It’s not unusual for someone to report that though they came in for help with one problem, they have found help in other areas they didn’t expect.
However, it is clear that neurofeedback does some things much better than others. Here are some areas in which neurofeedback performs exceptionally well:
How does training transfer to everyday situations?
With neurofeedback, the learning clients achieve begins to permeate into all areas of life; career and/or schooling, and social life. Additionally, family, peer, and intimate relationships are positively impacted. So not only can one learn to become more calm, relaxed, and focused but the experience generalizes allowing one hold on to achievement allowing patients to remain more focused, less anxious, sleep better, be in a better mood, enjoy increased motivation etc.
Do insurance companies reimburse for neurofeedback?
It depends upon your carrier and the specific details of your plan. Neurofeedback is biofeedback. Some insurance companies will pay, others may not. However, when you look at the cost of doctor’s visit, medications, decreased productivity, and, for some, lost relationships, the benefits commonly outweigh the costs. Here are more details for professionals and consumers . . .
About the field
Neurofeedback is often called neurofeedback, EEG biofeedback, neurotherapy. No one in the field has agreed upon one name. All of these terms are commonly used interchangeably.
Why haven’t I heard about neurofeedback? Is it experimental?
Absolutely not! Neurofeedback devices are required to carry an FDA label, and can only be used by, or under strict supervision of, licensed health providers. Because neurofeedback is not backed by large drug companies and is not a billion dollar industry it is not advertised. Most everyone knows about medications because the drug industry spends millions of dollars to insure that you do. Additionally, neurofeedback is not dependant upon repeat clientele like other industries. Remember we are solution focused. After learning has occurred, our goal is for you not to need us. Additionally, we have no lobbyist lining the pockets of politicians and pushing congress to pass bills that keep the cost of training high and other alternative therapies out of competition. We welcome other alternatives and typically will include well researched successful alternative to optimized training.
What Conditions can Neurofeedback help with?
Anxiety:
Neurofeedback is probably the most effective, non-invasive, pain-free and drug-free way to deal with anxiety and panic attacks available today. No medications are used and therefore the patient becomes empowered to make and sustain the changes, thereby becoming more prepared to handle and cope with the next challenge of life.
Anxiety is sometimes the result of a brain that is working too “fast” and needs to be calmed. This would certainly be the case for the types of anxiety that are more medical or genetic in origin.
Depression:
Depression often involves problems in the frontal lobes that respond to brain training. This is one of the cases where the treatment of something with neurofeedback may result in needing less medication, or a client begins to look overmedicated.
ADD and ADHD:
ADD and ADHD are often seen as the result of too much slow brainwave activity, particularly in the frontal lobes. Training the brain, and especially the frontal lobes, to be “stronger” at a more normal rate of activity will tend to reduce problems with concentration and focus.
Autism
Children with autism indeed have significant differences in their brains. MRI images and QEEG Brain-mapping research have shown this to be related to abnormal neural connectivity. The brains of individuals with ASD show both areas of excessively high connectivity and areas with deficient connectivity.
A recent peer-reviewed study by Robert Coben, Phd, published in the Journal of Neurotherapy, showed connectivity-guided neurofeedback is capable of significantly remedying these anomalies and reducing autistic symptoms.
Attachment Disorders or RAD
Attachment disorder or RAD is associated with adopted children. It can occur at times even when an adoption occurs in the first few days. Life situations other than adoption can create disruptions in early childhood that are often missed. Certainly not all adopted children have RAD. But it’s important to be aware of the symptoms.
There are many misconceptions about Attachment Disorder. It’s often misdiagnosed by health professionals, including MD’s and therapists. Many don’t have the experience or training to recognize the problems that can occur because of early attachment issues.
Memory
The results announced in the International Journal of Psychophysiology show a link between neurofeedback training and improved memory in a 40 person trial. Dr. David Vernon from Imperial College London at the Charing Cross Hospital says: “Previous research has indicated that neurofeedback can be used to treat a number of conditions including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, epilepsy and alcoholism by training particular aspects of brain activity, but this is the first time we have shown a link between the use of neurofeedback, and improvements in memory.”
Chimo Fog
During and post chemotherapy treatment the individual and his or her body is under an amazing amount of stress and physical changes. A time when Neuroplasticity is essential in the recovery and lasting health of the patient.
Neurofeedback has a proven track record of helping the brain to adjust and this is about giving your brain what it needs to help it make the changes you want for yourself.
Sleep disorders
Sleep problems can be attributed to neurological immaturity of childhood or correlated with attentional problems: bedwetting, sleep walking and talking, night terrors, anxiety-related difficulties falling asleep, and insomnia. Also among adult sleep disorders, promising evidence exists for alleviation of insomnia and sleep apnea.
The first reported signs of change upon initiating brainwave training often relate to the quality of sleep. We believe that the principal mechanism of efficacy of neurofeedback training is that it normalizes self-regulation of physiological arousal, and the beneficial effects of the training on sleep can be explained in the same manner. When self-regulation is deficient, this should be most apparent when arousal level is least tightly regulated, i.e. during sleep in general, and during transitions between sleep stages in particular. With improved quality of sleep, you will simply feel better. There is an indisputable connection between insomnia and disorders of arousal such as anxiety and depression.
Migraines & Chronic Pain
“Neurofeedback reduces the stress response and brings stability and calmness to the nervous system,” said Dr. David Biondi, a neurologist and consultant in headache management at Massachusetts General Hospital. “I think it’s very effective for migraines. Studies have shown that neurofeedback can be just as effective as some of the preventive medications we use.”
Addiction, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse:
Addiction and addictive behavior is a serious issue that millions of Americans are facing. Addiction is not merely a lack of discipline it is a mental health disorder. Face it. Most addiction treatment programs fail. Their collective success rate is abysmal. They have a “revolving door” as people relapse and come in and out of treatment. Many people leave before completing the programs.
Using neurofeedback combined with other addiction treatment dramatically increases the success rate of treatment.
Let us explain why.
Addiction is a seriously debilitating mental health disorder. If left unchecked, addiction strips people of their self-respect, their ability to function optimally, their relationships, their reputation, careers and their soul.
It’s a disease that affects thinking – and causes a person to engage in a behavior that is self-destructive and painful. It’s often accompanied by anxiety, depression, bi-polar, and other mental health disorders.
Loved ones often believe erroneously that addicts are weak … that curing addiction is a matter of self-discipline. Addicts report feelings of shame, guilt, remorse, anger, and frustration. But for many it’s a brain disease that is very hard to change..
Neurotherapy can be a good choice for people with addictions because it is a drug-free approach. Once the brainwaves have been adjusted to function more effectively, the effects are permanent. People who have been dependent on drugs for years can become drug-free.
Neurofeedback Research Shows:
– Reduces relapses
– Gain control of emotions
– Decreases stress
– Removes sleep problems and disorders
Bipolar Disorder & Schizophrenia
According to the National Institute of Mental Health: “Bipolar is a brain disorder causing unusual shifts or cycles in mood, focus, energy, and ability to function. Unlike the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are unpredictable and severe. Untreated these symptoms can wreak havoc in a person’s life resulting in damaged relationships, and poor job or school performance.
You can exercise your brain back to health. Training the brain strengthens the brain and teaches it to maintain a particular state versus random mood swings. Learning self-regulation allows a person to maintain a particular state or stabilization. For this a number of training sessions are required. Once the brain is strong enough to remain in the appropriate state for the task and time of day then training can stop or be reduced to an occasional maintenance training.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
If you can’t stop your brain from thinking about certain thoughts or repeating particular behaviors over and over again, it’s called OCD.
A great deal of research has shown there are particular areas in the front of the brain that often are implicated in this problem. When that part of the brain runs too slow or too fast, the person is unable to switch gears, or to put on the brakes. Literally they can’t stop thinking or doing something even when they try.
Seizures
Here’s a bold statement. Every seizure patient should be given the chance to regulate his own brain – and not be completely reliant on seizure medication. Medical professionals unfamiliar with neurofeedback perhaps may object.
But health professionals who have used it – including several thousand RN’s, psychologists, and MDs — recognize the power of using brain training to help the individual become more stable. Increased stability is reported to correlate with decreased seizures. Often, therapists report that the MD helps reduce seizure meds after they see the increased stability of a client.
Seizures are primarily a brain that loses its stability. Because there are 18 good studies showing the effectiveness of neurofeedback in reducing seizures, everyone should be given the chance to train. They aren’t – because they aren’t told about it by the health profession who are primarily unaware of it. It’s still considered new, though it’s been a around a while.
PTSD
If neurofeedback was better known in the world of PTSD, it would be one of the first treatments used. There are many cases of severe PTSD in which therapists and clients have reported “clients got their lives back” after training with neurofeedback. These reports are not isolated. Reports from around the world in many disciplines such as psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and other mental health practitioners, have chimed in to give their positive responds when adding this type of technique to the regime of treating their PTSD clients. This is not isolated – these reports from around the world have come from psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and other mental health professionals.
Stroke or Traumatic brain injury
For anyone who’s had a stroke or brain injury, relatively little formal rehab is offered once about 2 years post stroke. Typically, it may be more physical therapy or speech therapy, or even occupational therapy. But often, the big gains are expected in the first 2 years, and very minor slow gains occur after that.
Many people continue to improve incrementally after 18 months, but there are few formal rehab programs that make a big difference. The health profession has accepted the idea that the greatest recovery occurs in the first 18 -24 months. They don’t even bother offering patients other options.
The technology is now there to do that – and that’s what neurofeedback provides. It helps the individual in fact exercise the brain directly. Training targets specific parts of the brain, based on the individual profile of each client.
