Therapy for Concussion and Brain Injury in Sonoma County.

The Challenge of Head Injuries...

Concussions and brain injuries are more common than we tend to think. 

Head injuries can result in a wide range of symptoms depending on the severity of the trauma. Mild head injuries, such as concussions, may cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, confusion, and temporary loss of consciousness. Cognitive symptoms, including difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and mental fog, are also common. Physical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light or noise, and fatigue may occur. Many individuals experience emotional changes, such as irritability or mood swings. These symptoms can last for days, weeks, or even longer, depending on the extent of the injury.

In more severe head injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), symptoms can be more intense and life-threatening. These can include prolonged unconsciousness, seizures, slurred speech, and severe disorientation. Some individuals may experience difficulty walking, muscle weakness, or numbness in limbs. In serious cases, personality changes, significant cognitive deficits, and even coma may result. Vision problems, such as blurred vision or double vision, can also develop. It’s crucial for anyone who has experienced a head injury to seek medical attention, as symptoms can sometimes appear or worsen hours or even days after the initial trauma.

Neurofeedback is a highly effective approach to help the brain overcome the effects associated with injury.

Common Symptoms of Concussion/TBI:

Any significant impact to the head can cause tissue damage to the brain. When this occurs, the neural firing of the affected tissue becomes dysregulated, and often we see high excessively high or low amplitude cortical activity that begins to affect the brain’s functioning.

• Emotional reactivity, including anxiety, depression, irritability, and mood swings.
• Cognitive symptosm, including lack of concentration, “brain fog,” difficulty with attention, and trouble following conversations.
• Low energy and fatigue.
• Headaches.
• Sensitivity to light or sounds.
• Personality changes.
• Changes in autonomic nervous system functioning, including alterations in body temperature and rhythms of hunger, satiation, and sleep.
• Sleep disturbance, including difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and difficulty staying awake.

Neurofeedback for Concussion & TBI's

Neurofeedback is an effective and non-invasive treatment option for individuals recovering from head injuries, particularly traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and concussions. After a head injury, brainwave activity can become dysregulated, leading to a variety of cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms, including memory problems, mood swings, and difficulty focusing. Neurofeedback works by helping individuals retrain their brainwave patterns, encouraging the brain to return to a more balanced and functional state. This targeted brain training can reduce the severity of post-injury symptoms and improve cognitive function, emotional stability, and overall brain performance.

One of the major advantages of neurofeedback is that it promotes long-term recovery by addressing the underlying brain dysfunction rather than just treating surface symptoms. It is a drug-free therapy, making it an attractive option for individuals who may want to avoid medications or who have experienced negative side effects from them. Additionally, neurofeedback is customizable to each individual’s brain activity, allowing for personalized treatment that can accelerate recovery. Over time, neurofeedback helps the brain regain its self-regulation abilities, reducing symptoms like headaches, irritability, and cognitive fog, and improving overall quality of life after a head injury.

Whether it is a longstanding or more recent injury, clients usually begin to notice improvements within the first few sessions, which most clients completing somewhere between six and 40 sessions, depending on the severity of the injury.