MIGRAINES / HEADACHES TREATMENT
WHAT ARE MIGRAINES?
An estimated 1 billion people in the world suffer from migraines, at least 4 million of which experience chronic migraines. A migraine is a severe and debilitating headache that can cause severe throbbing or pulsing sensations, usually on one side of the head. They can cause extreme light and sound sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting. They may last anywhere from a few minutes to a few days.
Researchers believe that migraines can occur due to genetics (family history) and/or the release of a protein called calcitonin. The proteins may cause nerve inflammation, therefore starting a migraine. Migraines may also be triggered and heightened by personal (stress, anxiety, etc.), environmental, nutritional (substance use, diet, etc.), and/or medical (hormonal, etc.) issues.
Migraines often go undiagnosed or untreated. Individuals self medicate with pain-relieving medications, often without any long-term relief. Neurofeedback therapy has been shown to alleviate migraine symptoms by targeting the neurological origins of the disorder. The therapy can also help to relieve stress and anxiety symptoms that can serve as triggers for migraines.
Migraine Symptoms:
Dizziness
Throbbing or pulsing pain on one or both sides of head
Heightened sensitivity to light and sound
Nausea
Visual Disturbances
Vomiting
Neurofeedback Treatment for Migraines / Headaches
Migraines are thought to be caused by an overexcited nervous system and the brains of affected individuals often show abnormalities in electrophysiological activity. For instance, many people with migraines demonstrate an excess of high-frequency beta activity in the brain. High beta waves (18-40 Hz) are associated with increased stress, anxiety, agitation, and arousal. Neurofeedback trains the brain to lower these high beta waves and to function at more relaxed wavelengths. Not everyone with migraines demonstrate the same abnormalities in brainwave activity; levels of different types of brainwaves and location of abnormal brain activity vary from person-to-person. Performing an EEG assessment will help us identify the abnormal brain activity in your brain and allow us to design a customized protocol that will train your brain to correct those specific abnormalities.
How does Neurofeedback work?
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1. Brain map
Brainwave assessment identifies imbalances and helps to create a personalized treatment plan.
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2. Treatment setup
Non-invasive sensors and headphones are placed on your head and the treatment session begins.
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3. Brain activation
Software translates your brainwave data and stops or starts audio/visual media based on your brain activity.
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4. Conditioning
In response to the audio/visual feedback, your brain adapts and learns to regulate your brainwaves and build new, healthy neural pathways.
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5. Brain Training
Over time with continuous brain training, healthy brain activity in target regions increases, and symptom-associated activity decreases.
3 steps away from getting help
Step 1: Schedule a consult
Complete the simple form on the bottom of this page or call us directly (212) 877-2130 for questions or to schedule.
Step 2: Intake, Assessment and Brain map
You can share your mental issues in the intake and we schedule the brain- and neurocognitive assessment. A complete Brain map is part of the personalized treatment plan
Step 3: Start program and expect noticeable results
During the training program you will experience results within a few sessions. Personalized brain training can quickly improve the quality of life with long lasting results.
Related Research
QEEG-guided neurofeedback for recurrent migraine headaches. Click Here
Neurofeedback and biofeedback with 37 migraineurs: a clinical outcome study. Click Here
On the Pathophysiology of Migraine—Links for “Empirically Based Treatment” with Neurofeedback. Click Here