Neurofeedback
- What is Neurofeedback?
- How is Neurofeedback Used?
- What does Neurofeedback Treat?
- Neurofeedback at PCH Treatment Center
What is Neurofeedback?
Neurofeedback is a technique by which an individual controls the activity of his or her central nervous system by acting on feedback about brain activity. Neurofeedback uses brain wave monitoring and analysis as well as auditory feedback to affect brain wave patterns. Altering brain waves changes the way a person acts, feels and relates to others. Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback, but it works on the central nervous system, while biofeedback concentrates on the outer edges of the body, or peripheral nervous system.
How is Neurofeedback Used?
Neurofeedback, developed during the 1960s and '70s, was designed to address a number of neurological problems, including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression. People experience problems when portions of the brain do not communicate properly with other portions of the brain or when brain wave frequencies are out of sync. The goal of neurofeedback treatment is to enable people to change their own brain waves through repeated practice.
An objective assessment of psychological status and brain activity precedes neurofeedback training. Training involves the use of a special electroencephalogram (EEG) monitor and computer software. Electrode sensors are placed on the scalp for the purpose of recording brain wave activity. The individual then receives auditory or visual feedback. Changes in the feedback signal show whether brain activity falls in the designated range. This feedback allows the person undergoing training to self-regulate brain patterns with the help of the neurofeedback training practitioner. These altered brain wave patterns effect positive physical and emotional changes.
Neurofeedback training does not involve pain, medication or surgery, and trainees generally experience no side effects. The condition being treated dictates the number of treatments required. Since neurofeedback is a learned skill, each treatment builds on the last, and the trainee gains greater ability to alter brain waves. Clinical studies show the results of neurofeedback to be long-lasting.
Reasons for brain malfunction may include emotional dysregulation, biochemical damage or genetic abnormalities. While medications are often prescribed to manage symptoms arising from brain malfunction, they may fail to treat the true cause of the problem and produce undesirable side effects. Neurofeedback, on the other hand, addresses the neurological problems directly, assisting the individual to regulate normal brain function in a safe and noninvasive manner. The brain has a great ability to regulate itself when information is provided with nearly instantaneous feedback.
What does Neurofeedback Treat?
Common problems treated by neurofeedback include depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, drug and alcohol addiction, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, migraines, panic attacks, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury. The treatment is receiving attention from formerly skeptical mainstream researchers. A 2007 study by Drexel University professor John Kounios showed that neurofeedback increased the speed of cognitive processing in the elderly. In 2009, Dutch scientists published an analysis of international studies showing that neurofeedback significantly reduces inattention and impulsiveness. Promising research continues into the effectiveness of neurofeedback in the areas of autism, pain disorders, traumatic brain injury and insomnia, among other disorders.
Neurofeedback at PCH Treatment Center
PCH Treatment Center has incorporated neurofeedback into their therapy programs since we opened. We offer clients treatment with the state-of-the-art BrainPaint EEG Biofeedback System, with which we have extensive experience. Clients at PCH Treatment Center benefit from the latest technology and techniques in the neurofeedback field. PCH Brainpaint therapy is based on the most recent developments in neurofeedback research, and we are constantly improving and refining our treatment techniques.
PCH Treatment Center incorporates a holistic approach for clients seeking to address disorders with neurofeedback and minimal use of medication. In addition to neurofeedback, therapy treatments offered by PCH Treatment Center include meditation, yoga, sleep therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, group therapy, sleep management and art therapy. The goal of PCH Treatment Center is to achieve a healthy balance between mind and body in a natural way, restoring the individual's sense of well-being in the process. Neurofeedback is an important tool in achieving this balance.
