EEG IMAGING EEG AS A DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT TOOL How does it work? After electrodes have been attached to a certain section of the patient’s head in order to evaluate the brain activity in that specific area, an EEG (electroencephalograph) instrument then captures raw brain data and displays this data as rhythmic brain wave patterns on the computer screen. To keep the body functioning as it should, the brain constantly sends messages to the body via electrical impulses though the central nervous system. On the EEG, these electrical impulses appear as rhythmic brain wave patterns. As long as the brain remains intact, these brain waves present a normal pattern, but if the brain is injured in some way or has some other trauma, the brain patterns become abnormal. When the brain is allowed to continue transmitting these abnormal patterns, the body is thrown out of balance and serious health problems can result. However, since the body desires balance, it is the function of Neurofeedback to assist the brain in bringing itself and the body back into balance. Using Neurofeedback, the patient can actually retrain brain functions, such as, concentration, short-term memory, speech, motor skills, and sleep, energy level, and emotional balance, etc., back into normal patterns. These results will be permanent unless another trauma occurs. What is “Real Time” EEG Neurofeedback? When a patient’s brain wave patterns are displayed on a computer screen, this is called “Real Time” Digital EEG Neurofeedback. “Real Time” Neurofeedback allows for immediate intervention to accurately diagnosis and correct the problem. In addition to the distinctive, abnormal brain-wave patterns which identify specific medical problems for the trained clinician, the clinician also records patient symptoms to assist with determining the accurate diagnosis. How many treatment sessions are needed? The number of Neurofeedback sessions necessary to correct the imbalance varies with individuals and the severity of their condition. Some problems will be corrected in just a few sessions; some will take many treatment sessions. Usually some change is seen in the first 10-12 sessions, and frequently, this happens sooner. The treatment sessions are 30 minutes, but allow an hour from start to finish. In addition, it is desirable to do one or two treatment sessions a week, but this can be flexible depending on circumstances that may make this unworkable for the patient. What medical conditions can be diagnosed and treated with EEG Neurofeedback? Research and use have shown that Neurofeedback can be effective for diagnosing and treating many serious injuries and medical problems, such as : Panic/Anxiety Disorder, Head Injuries, (either open or closed), Coma, Stroke, Learning Disabilities, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), Dyslexia, Migraine and Cluster Headaches, Epilepsy, Oxygen Deprivation, Clinical Depression, etc. For example, ADD is frequently misdiagnosed when the diagnosis is based on behavior alone. However, when the distinctive brain wave patterns are viewed, this rules out other possible causes that may present similar behavioral problems, such as, Mild Head Trauma, Viral Damage, Depression, Hypoglycemia, Allergies, or Girth Injury, and like ADD, these conditions also have different and distinctive brain patterns which will rule them out as a possible cause when the pattern does not match. |