Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is more common than many of us realise. Military personnel and sports players have high risk due to their activities, but anyone can be affected by a fall or a car accident.
Severe brain injuries are visible in CT and MRI scans – there may be visible injury as well.
Mild TBI, including concussion, is not normally visible with these tests. However, it still causes symptoms including
Some people report ADHD-like symptoms, or ‘brain fog’. Others may develop post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or anxiety. Any of these issues can then lead to substance abuse. It’s clear that if you have TBI, you may experience major issues, both in the workplace and in relationships.
Treatments for severe TBI include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, counselling and more. Most of these are designed to help the brain redevelop control of the body. Unfortunately, treating the mental symptoms of TBI is more difficult. Medication is only effective for the most distressing and extreme symptoms.
Neurofeedback offers an opportunity for more targeted and effective rehabilitation.
Where CT and MRI scans look at the physical structure of your brain, QEEG analysis looks at how your brain functions. It measures brain waves as a way of tracking activity. QEEG is able to identify areas which don’t function normally, which enables targeted neurofeedback treatment.
During neurofeedback sessions, you watch and listen to video material while your brain activity is measured. Positive feedback loops – clearer video and audio – encourage your brain to behave in a more typical way. Over multiple sessions, your brain is retrained and symptoms reduce or disappear entirely.
J Duff’s 2004 paper The usefulness of quantitative EEG (QEEG) and neurotherapy in the assessment and treatment of post-concussion syndrome is one of many showing that patients with TBI can benefit from neurofeedback.
