In neurofeedback therapy, a patient’s brainwaves are measured, and real-time feedback is provided about how the brain is functioning. In medical terms, it is a type of biofeedback that aims to help patients gain voluntary control over certain body functions that are typically involuntary (such as heart rate, muscle contractions, and brainwaves). With biofeedback, patients can be informed about physiological processes in their bodies they are not aware of using electronic instruments.

By showing patients how their brains react to triggers, neurofeedback therapy helps patients learn self-control of brain functions. It takes time for patients to learn to recognize when their brains are in certain states. Using this knowledge, they can recreate desired states in their daily lives, such as relaxation, or avoid unwanted states, such as agitation.

By observing EEG traces or a visualization thereof, it is believed that the brain can be trained on what it needs to do to achieve healthier patterns by seeing how it responds to different visual, video, or auditory stimuli.

In neurofeedback therapy, the patient is taught to control their brainwaves consciously. According to the condition being treated, specific brainwaves are measured. The alpha wave is associated with peace, meditation, readiness, and deep relaxation, while the beta wave is associated with focus, tension, sustained attention, alertness and excitement. As a result, alpha waves are typically used for treating conditions like stress and anxiety, whereas beta waves are used to improve characteristics like attention and focus, which are associated with ADHD.

With neurofeedback therapy, your brainwave activity is monitored and feedback is provided almost immediately, usually via visual cues or audio cues. You may watch something on a screen while the therapy administrator measures your beta waves, for instance. A bright screen appears when beta waves manifest; a dim screen appears when beta waves are inhibited. You are trying to reinforce your behavior enough so that you will repeat it to get the reward (i.e. a brighter screen).

The number of sessions needed to control your brainwaves is not known, but it may take several months to see desired results. Further, it is unclear how long the effects of the therapy will last without continuing treatment.

Neurofeedback has been demonstrated to effectively moderate a variety of conditions.  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be treated using neurofeedback, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The use of neurofeedback therapy is increasingly being used to treat conditions such as autism, learning difficulties, and other developmental problems. In addition to being effective in modifying anxiety, depression, and addictions, it has also been found to help stabilize some epilepsy patients. Studies have shown that neurofeedback therapy may help damaged, reactive areas of the brain recover more quickly after concussions. Athletes and business executives have also used neurofeedback therapy to achieve peak performance.

Taking care of your brain is like taking care of the rest of your body in the sense that you can’t just go every so often and expect results. Neurofeedback is likely to work well for you if you’re willing to attend regular appointments. In neurofeedback, a practitioner does not wave a magic wand. Instead, trainers and trainees work together to achieve a mutual goal. The person managing a person’s brain training must be willing to provide feedback for this to happen. A session of neurofeedback can be undone by leaving and using drugs or alcohol afterward. It is important to discuss your drug or alcohol use with a practitioner in order to determine how it might impact your training sessions.

Neurofeedback therapy is available at Psychiatric Associates of Pennsylvania. To learn more, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are located at 822 Montgomery Ave Suite 208, Narberth, PA 19072. We serve patients from Narberth PA, Philadelphia PA, Media PA, Plymouth Meeting PA, Wayne PA, Newtown Square PA, Ardmore PA, Villanova PA, Malvern PA, King of Prussia PA, Abington PA, and surrounding areas.