If you have had a stroke, it can be a challenge to get back to your previous level of functioning. Recovery time after a stroke is different for everyone — it can take weeks, months, or even years. Some people make a full recovery on their own, but others may face long-term, life-changing impairments, or chronic stroke disease.
Emerald Coast NeuroFeedback leverages neuroplasticity by aiding the brain's natural capacity to repair and improve itself. After a stroke, the brain attempts to heal on its own over a period of about 18 months. After this, the brain will typically stop dedicating the same level of effort and resources to repair, leaving progress to stall or come to a halt. However, with Neurofeedback, you can kickstart the healing process to enhance and continue repair, immediately after a stroke or even years later.
Symptoms of a Stroke
- Paralysis (inability to move some parts of the body)
- Trouble with thinking, awareness, attention, learning, judgment, and memory
- Problems understanding or forming speech
- Trouble controlling or expressing emotions
- Numbness or strange sensations
- Pain in the hands and feet that worsens with movement and temperature changes
- Trouble chewing and swallowing
- Problems with bladder and bowel control
- Depression
Neurofeedback is Effective in Stroke Recovery
Neurofeedback has shown success in retraining the brain to begin once again sending signals to stroke-affected areas. One example of this happened recently at Emerald Coast NeuroFeedback with a man who had suffered an ischemic stroke seven years before he started sessions. The stroke had left him with memory issues and paralysis on the left side of his body. After completing six sessions of Neurofeedback, his brain fog and memory issues dissipated; he regained mobility in his left hand and could feel his toes enough to move them again! See his review below.
Integrating Neurofeedback With Traditional Methods
The brain is incredibly powerful but can struggle significantly after unexpected events such as strokes. After a brain injury, the brain may work extremely hard to accomplish even simple tasks. During the 18 months following a stroke, the brain attempts to heal itself. However, it may gradually stop sending signals down pathways that have failed, even if one is still experiencing significant symptoms.
Traditional Therapy for Stroke Recovery
Stroke rehabilitation often includes working with speech, physical, and occupational therapists:
- Speech therapy helps individuals who have difficulty producing or understanding speech.
- Physical therapy uses exercises to help in relearning movement and coordination skills lost due to the stroke.
- Occupational therapy focuses on improving daily activities such as eating, drinking, dressing, bathing, reading, and writing.
Enhancing Traditional Therapy with Neurofeedback
While traditional therapies are often key components of stroke rehabilitation, new methods are being developed to enhance these treatments. One innovative technique is neurofeedback, or EEG biofeedback, a non-invasive method that helps retrain the brain. Emerald Coast NeuroFeedback (ECNF) can improve post-stroke symptoms such as memory loss, speech difficulties, confusion, executive functioning issues, headaches, motor skills, numbness in arms and legs, and depression/anxiety.
Benefits of Neurofeedback for Stroke Recovery
- Safe and natural
- Simple and effortless
- No medication involved
- No risky side effects
- Brain training without chemicals
- No personality change
- Long-lasting effects
- Integrates well with other therapies
Integrating Neurofeedback with traditional stroke recovery methods offers a more holistic, comprehensive, and effective rehabilitation process.
Our Neurofeedback Process
Initial Evaluation
The initial evaluation is a needs assessment that will allow our therapist and software system to generate a customized protocol tailor-made for your unique needs. This enables us to identify different symptoms, goals, and growth areas to focus on for improvement during your sessions.
Feedback Sessions
Depending on your protocol(s), you may receive feedback with your eyes closed (auditory only) or with your eyes open (audio and visual). Sensors will be placed on your ears and scalp (this does not hurt, and nothing goes into your brain). The sensors pick up the electrical activity coming from your brainwaves. You may have one, two, or three sensor placement changes during each session. A session typically takes 45 minutes to an hour. This includes assessing symptom improvements since your last session and the time to change the sensors as needed for different protocols.
Session Frequency
A commitment of two sessions per week is necessary for the process to be most effective. Double sessions in a day are also available (depending on protocol, sessions may be completed back-to-back or with a small break in between). It is essential that you keep your scheduled Neurofeedback appointments. Missing sessions may result in slower progress. It is generally recommended that you receive eight sessions before taking an extended break. If you have anticipated schedule interruptions, such as a vacation, please let us know.
Re-evaluation
Your initial protocol is often the best one to accomplish your primary goals. However, it is common to see benefits from more than one protocol. Re-evaluation may be needed to explore new growth areas and determine whether protocol changes are necessary. In general, a re-evaluation is appropriate when there is less than 10% growth in all growth areas, as assessed over the previous five sessions. This often indicates that the client has maximized the benefits of an existing protocol or hit a plateau.
Getting Started with Emerald Coast NeuroFeedback
To get started with Neurofeedback, give us a call or fill out our online contact form. We will schedule a time to answer any questions and schedule your initial evaluation.
Our evaluation process is designed to help us create a customized plan for you. We will identify your specific symptoms and goals and create a baseline for measuring progress each session. We will then see you twice a week for sessions until you reach a plateau. Because Neurofeedback is true brain learning, your progress will be lasting once you have completed the process.