Neurofeedback Therapy Windsor: Enhance Brain Potential
The Brain Can Change, Let us Help – Science-Based Brain Training
Neurotherapy includes a variety of non-invasive technologies that trains brainwaves with the goal of improving brain function. Neurotherapy can include Neurofeedback and Neuromodulation to restore balance to the brain. This can mean breaking up stubborn patterns and improving brain communication and processing so it can interpret the information coming in more efficiently. Neurotherapy will help balance and train the brain, particularly if there is under or overactivity in parts of the brain.
We use a variety of neuromodulation techniques, including:
- Pulsed Electromagnetic Frequency Stimulation (pEMF)
- Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS), Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), or Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS).
- Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as infrared light or light therapy
- Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)
Neurotherapy improves brain function by:
- Increasing blood flow
- Decreasing inflammation
- Growing new blood vessels and capillaries
- Stimulating mitochondria and increasing energy
- Neurogenesis – creating new neuronal connections
This results in improved efficiency in neural signaling and communication.
What can Neurotherapy help with?
Neurotherapy is not a treatment for specific conditions, it is a technique used to regulate brainwave patterns. There are decades of research that show that this technique can help with various neurological and psychological conditions, including anxiety/depression, ADHD, PTSD, epilepsy, concussion/TBI, sleep issues, and cognitive enhancement, to just name a few.
How does Neurotherapy work?
Neurotherapy is like learning to ride a bike with training wheels. Neurostimulation acts like training wheels and guides the brain by introducing specific frequencies. The brain will mimic the same frequency, and with time and training, it will make that frequency on its own.
How do I get started with Neurotherapy?
An initial consultation will be booked with Dr. Ginette to discuss your goals and answer any questions you have. If this type of care is right for you, we’ll book a brain assessment, called a Quantitative EEG (QEEG). This is a brain map that allows Dr. Ginette to determine whether some of your brainwave patterns fall outside the normal range. She will then create a treatment plan, which she will review with you on a follow-up visit. From there, your neurotherapy sessions begin and are designed to retrain the brainwave patterns. The result of rebalancing these brainwaves restores healing and functionality for lasting results. Another QEEG will be taken after your initial set of sessions (10-15 sessions) to see how the brain is changing and determine if the treatment plan needs to change.
What is QEEG?
A quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) is a brain map, not a treatment. It’s used to generate a unique, custom, data-driven protocol for treatment. It creates a blueprint to help train your brain.
This non-invasive and painless analysis quantifies the brainwaves at specific locations in the brain. It will uncover any brainwave patterns that may be causing you trouble. To do this, you will be sitting quietly in a chair. We place a cap (which looks likes like a swimming cap) with sensors on your head to measure the brainwaves for approximately 20 minutes. The brainwaves appear like little squiggly lines on a computer screen.
This raw EEG data is analyzed and processed through a normative database, which compares your brainwaves to those of healthy individuals’ brainwaves of the same age. Dr. Ginette will review the results to determine where the brain is out of balance and targets the treatment for optimal results. During this process, she will generate a series of images that identify which parts of the brain are imbalanced.
What is the QEEG measuring?
Your brain is like a battery generating electricity and the QEEG is measuring the power and location of the brainwaves. Your brain produces brainwaves, which have different frequencies. The brainwave categories are Delta (1-4Hz), Theta (5-8Hz), Alpha (9-12Hz), SMR (13-15Hz), Beta (16-40Hz) and Gamma (40+ Hz).
How Do I prepare for an QEEG?
There are some recommendations that staff will review prior to you coming for your initial EEG, which will include getting a good night sleep, not drinking alcohol the night before and arriving with clean dry hair.
FAQ
Is it safe?
Yes, Neurotherapy produces few, if any, negative side effects when the sessions are provided by a qualified trained professional. Neurotherapy is “non-invasive” with rare side effects which have been observed in a very small population. The mild side effects which sometimes occur are temporary increases in the symptoms you already have, increased or decreased energy such as fatigue, mild headaches, and transient skin tingling in the area being treated. Any symptoms are reported to Dr. Ginette so she can monitor treatment. Read more here.
How do I prepare for a neurotherapy session?
Prior to starting any sessions, Dr. Ginette will review any lifestyle recommendations to enhance your results. Neurotherapy is creating new brain connections, therefore it’s important to support the neurogenesis (new brain cell formation) with proper hydration and good nutrition.
How many neurotherapy sessions are required?
As with most forms of treatment, neurotherapy results will vary with each person. However, most will require 20-30 neurotherapy sessions depending on the patient’s condition and goals. Regular QEEG (brain maps) will be done to ensure we are getting results and are on the right track.
How often do I need to do sessions?
Just like working out, infrequent training will not produce lasting results. Therefore, most sessions will be done between 3-5 times per week. A minimum commitment is 3 sessions/week. The degree of intensity depends on the severity of the condition. Doing sessions once a week will not produce the results we are looking for. As care progresses and the brain is behaving in the correct manner, session may be reduced. Just like learning to ride a bike, once you know how to do it, you don’t need the training wheels!
How long is a session?
Most sessions are 45-60 minutes. Patients can relax in the chair, read a book, knit, meditate, listen to music or even take a nap!
Is neurotherapy covered by insurance?
Most extended health care plans cover Chiropractic care. As Dr. Ginette is a licensed Chiropractor, this type of care falls under that category. You can contact your coverage provider for details.
Does neurofeedback work permanently?
Yes, the changes in the brain are permanent. Some patients like to return periodically to come in for periodic “brain tune-ups” to maintain the gains or brighten up the brain.
Does neurotherapy rewire your brain?
Yes. Your brain is not hard-wired. It is not limited or fixed. Your brain has the ability to create and learn new neural pathways, which is called neuroplasticity. Neurotherapy helps to encourage the brain to create new pathways, find balance and improve function.
What is the success rate of neurofeedback?
The success rate is commonly 75-80%, keeping in mind that results differ among individuals. It’s important that during care, a proper initial QEEG map and intake is completed prior to care so Dr. Ginette can evaluate if care is appropriate for you. During care, progress is monitored at each visit and a more detailed QEEG map will be done at regular intervals to monitor changes.
How long does it take to see results and what is the success rate?
Most patients will see changes in the first 10 sessions. For some it might take 20 sessions.
Can I be on medication and still do Neurotherapy?
Yes. There are no contra-indications for medications and neurotherapy treatment. Since neurotherapy can increase blood flow to the brain, this may result in an increased effect of the medication. Patients may start to feel increased side effects of the medication and should consult with their prescribing practitioner about possibly reducing the medication dose if side effects continue. Patients should advise their doctor they are receiving neurotherapy treatment.
Are there contraindications for Neurotherapy?
Yes. Patients with recent head injuries (in the past 6 weeks) should consult with a neurologist prior to starting care. This includes head injuries that may have resulted in brain bleeds, but not limited to: any form of head trauma, concussion, and stroke. These brain injuries with stressed and damaged blood vessels need time to heal before starting care.
What is the difference between Neurotherapy and Electroconvulsive therapy?
There is a BIG difference. It all comes down to the intensity of current (or energy used). ECT (Electroconvulsive therapy) is a procedure, in hospital, under general anesthesia, in which large electrical currents pass through the brain to induce a seizure. 1 volt is equal to 1,000,000 µV (microvolt). ECT uses about 120,000,000 µV of electricity compared the maximum voltage our equipment uses is of 2.5 µV. So we use only 0.000002% of the voltage that is used with ECT. It’s like comparing sledge hammer to a small carving tool.
How much does it cost?
The initial process involves two office visits, the first one is the QEEG and then a follow-up review. This includes a very detailed customized report (Dr. Ginette does not use reports generated by software programs).
Each QEEG consists of:
- Initial intake meeting and QEEG (approx. 1 hr)
- Follow-up report and results and treatment recommendations (approx. 30 min)
The final report is complete with summary page, explanatory pictures, graphics, and terminology that is accessible for the layperson, yet true to scientific form. Click here for our price list.
See why people are talking about Neurotherapy and its benefits!
After trying several conventional treatments for our son’s seizures without any success, we delved into the world of alternative therapies. We were introduced to neurotherapy and found Dr. Ginette. She was very knowledgeable, kind and took the time to explain everything to our family. We were worried that our son would experience pain from the sessions, but he did not. We noticed improvement with his seizures, they became less frequent and less intense. Having a child with an illness is very stressful for a parent, it is so important to have a team of compassionate healthcare providers to support your child, and Dr Ginette is one of those healthcare providers you should have on your team.
I am someone who suffers from depression and anxiety. I had been on medication in the past for it. Recently, I was starting to feel like I needed to talk to someone about getting back on them, but I was not sure I wanted to go that route. Dr. Ginette suggested we try some sessions of Neurotherapy, which could help alleviate the feelings of overwhelm that were coming back.
So, I started my journey into neurotherapy treatments. At the beginning and the end of these sessions, Dr Ginette takes images of your brainwaves. From these images, she can understand and see where and how she needs to address the individual’s concerns. For me it was clear that there was activity of “busy brainwaves” hence the overwhelming feelings I had been feeling lately.
So, Dr. Ginette set out to create a protocol that was best suited for me, and by the end of my sessions, the brain mapping showed a significant shift in my brainwaves, which in turn helped me feel so much better and calmed my anxiousness. This technique is a gentle way to help support your healing and you couldn’t ask for better care from Dr. Ginette!