Therapy for pain syndromes and dysfunctions due to myofascial
trauma and head injury.
ADD/ADHD, fatigue, confusion, depression, and fibromyalgia are
not merely "lack of willpower" — they are often
symptoms of brain injury. This is especially likely when symptoms
appear within a year after high fever, upper body injury, and physical
or emotional trauma.
Neurofeedback (once known as "EEG Biofeedback") is a form of biofeedback
specifically for the brain. It is a painless and drug-free way of
helping the brain return to a normal healthy state, to better regulate
itself and the body it controls.
Different Types of Neurofeedback
Currently Neurofeedback is very roughly separated into two approaches:
"Traditional Neurofeedback" and "LENS."
Traditional Neurofeedback is a training process, standard
operant conditioning. Meeting a goal earns a reward: a light,
a sound, a display.
This traditional approach teaches you how to drive your own brain,
to recognize changing brainstates, to control and interact with
your own brainwaves. Sessions: 2-3 per week. Course of treatment: Usually estimated at 20-30 sessions.
LENS ("Low Energy Neurofeedback System") is treatment
only, not training. It does not teach you how to drive your brain.
Like AAA, it is a rescue service, intended to pull you out of
the ditch and speed you on your way. Sessions: Once per week or even once every two weeks; LENS
usually produces observable results faster and with fewer sessions
than does Traditional Neurofeedback. We specialize in LENS Neurofeedback
because of its speed and effectiveness. Course of treatment: Generally estimated at 12-20 sessions,
but positive improvement should appear within a 3-6 session window.
If not, there may be an underlying medical condition which must
be addressed.
Both systems are extremely valuable in treating a multitude of
symptoms.
What are Brainwaves?
Like other computers, the brain gives off tiny electrical impulses
that appear as waves of varying frequency and strength. Different
brainwave frequencies are identified as delta (4-7 Hz), theta (4-7
Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), and beta (13-30 Hz). Each of these plays different
roles and produces different effects on brain and body.
High beta relative to alpha is associated with stress and anxiety.
High alpha relative to beta gives a feeling of confusion, brain
fog, and depression.
High theta relative to beta is strongly associated with ADD.
Delta, the slowest brainwave, should not appear in normal healthy
adults during waking hours. A strong delta presence (especially
in the frontal lobes) is considered strong evidence of brain injury.
In general, brainwaves should be:
Faster at front, slower at back
Faster at left, slower at right.
Reverse this and there will be problems.
Slow at left and front > depression and fogginess
Fast at right and back > anxiety and sleep disturbances
Combine a slowed left and front with fast right and back and you
have the "Backwards Brain," confused, anxious, unable to sleep,
caught in a cycle of fatigue and depression. And yes, “depression
hurts.” The frontal slowing of this pattern is typical of
fibromyalgia and "fibro fog." Drugs may be unable to help a "Backwards
Brain" simply because they cannot be hemispherically specific. For
example,
Anti-depressants designed to speed up a slowed left brain will
also speed up a too-fast right brain causing anxiety or panic
attacks.
Anti-anxiety meds designed to calm a fast right brain will also
drop a slowed left brain back down into depression
What is Brainwave Slowing?
Due to illness, physical trauma, nutritional deficits, high fever,
drugs (both illegal and legal), blood and oxygen supply to the brain
may be interrupted or decreased. Unfortunately, the faster brainwaves
required for focused attention, organization, and quick wits require
high levels of oxygen and nutrients; slower, dreamier brainwaves
require less.
Brainwave slowing is roughly equivalent to hibernation, an excellent
survival strategy, but a poor way to live. The slower the brainwaves,
the foggier and more depressed a person is apt to be. For example,
frontal alpha of 12 Hz may produce a “functional” depression;
you feel terrible but still manage to get up and go to work. At
8 Hz or slower, you may be completely unable to drag out of bed
at all. “Hibernating” human brain cells don’t
necessarily know when it is safe to wake up again or even how to
do it.
Neurofeedback can reawaken the brain and help it—and the
body it controls—on the way to recovery. It can also can avoid
the roller-coaster ride of side effects by treating the problem
directly and helping to restore proper balance.
Nneurofeedback does not replace appropriate medical or psychiatric
care. Neurofeedback is notorious for reducing the need for various
medications, including anti-depressants, anti-seizure and anti-anxiety
medications, insulin, thyroid hormone, sleeping pills, ADD/ADHD
and hypertension medications. When the body's need for a medication
decreases, excess medication becomes an overdose. Side effects specific
to the drug may appear and the drug must be adjusted downwards.
To do so you must stay in close contact with your physician and/or
pharmacist.
What Happens in a Neurofeedback Session?
Brain Map and Intake Evaluation. Discussion of symptoms
and detailed history, followed by brain mapping to determine what
the brain is doing and its overall level of function. For pain
patients, intake may include a myofascial evaluation of pain patterns,
muscle function and flexibility.
Treatment. Following review of response to mapping /
symptoms since the last session, treatment involves a few seconds
of feedback via a small electrode at one to several sites, depending
on the patient. Feedback involves an extremely low-power radio
wave with a field strength of about 1x10-18 (or 0.0000000000000000001)
watts. This is far lower than even the tiny field produced by
a digital watch. For pain patients, contributing myofascial issues
may also be addressed as appropriate.
What Can I Expect From Treatment?
If neurofeedback is appropriate for you, you can expect improvement
of symptoms in conditions as diverse as traumatic head injury (TBI),
ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression, migraines, PMS, and fibromyalgia.
Clients report greatly reduced pain and anxiety with improved clarity,
organization, mood, focus, emotional self-control and even hand-writing.
Detecting and working with vanishingly small brainwave signals
requires a clean scalp. Sensor sites are cleaned with a mild abrasive;
electrode connections are secured with a dab of conductive paste.
After treatment, therefore, you might also expect a bit of residual
paste in your hair which will wash out easily in your shower. Nevertheless,
please come to appointments with clean hair; many personal and haircare
products block feedback signals.
For appointments, contact; Carol Shifflett (412) 741-7286
For more information on Neurofeedback, see:
aboutneurofeedback.com.
This extensive site includes information on the famous Yonkers
Project. There is also a short-list bibliography of neurofeedback
publications in medical and technical journals many with links
to the actual articles. A more extensive bibliography
is available from the International Society for Neurofeedback
& Research (ISNR).
EEGInfo.com
An excellent information site on traditional neurofeedback.
The Healing power of Neurofeedback by Stephen Larsen,
Ph.D. Those with fibromyalgia may be particularly interested in
the section by Dr. Mary Lee Esty in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Esty ran
the first double-blind neurofeedback study funded by the National
Institutes of Health (NIH).
For information on head injury and neurofeedback, see our brochure
which includes a short self
test.
LENS Neurofeedback
Traditional Neurofeedback
Biofeedback
Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy