QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE
You Asked, We Answered
WHAT IS NEUROFEEDBACK?
Neurofeedback is a way of letting your brain see its own brainwave activity. Electrodes stuck on your head measure your brainwaves. The computer uses information about your brainwaves to change parts of an animation, game or video so you can then see how your brainwaves are changing by watching the video or game. Letting your brain ‘see’ its own activity helps it to regulate or control itself better. You can think of this like a dancer practising in front of a mirror - when the dancer can see themselves in the mirror, they are able to improve their routine and posture. When the brain is able to regulate its own activity better, many symptoms can improve, and it is common for people to feel very relaxed and focused.
WHAT TYPE OF NEUROFEEDBACK DO YOU OFFER?
We offer Othmer Method Infra Low Frequency (ILF) Neurofeedback. We have found that this method brings the strongest and quickest results. You can read more about the history of this method here. We use additional techniques of Alpha-Theta training for the resolution of past trauma and Synchrony training to promote a calm and clear focus. You can find out more about Alpha Theta training in our blog post.
HOW DOES IT WORK AND WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?
We will gently clean four small areas on your scalp and stick some electrodes on with a paste that helps the electrodes to measure your brainwaves accurately. This paste can make your hair feel sticky afterwards. The electrodes are only there to measure your brainwaves, which are small amounts of electricity produced by your brain. There is NO electricity going into your body. Applying the electrodes is not at all painful but you can expect a small amount of pressure as we stick the electrodes on securely.
You will be able to choose what video or game you want to watch or play. It’s important you choose something that you will enjoy and be interested in. If you find the game/video boring or annoying, please let us know so we can change it.
Then simply relax and enjoy your video or game. We may adjust the settings during the session to change the type of brainwave being measured. In the first few sessions we will be adjusting the settings to find the one that suits you best. Sometimes this takes a bit of trial and error, so we will check with you how you are feeling during the session. If the setting suits you well, you may feel relaxed, calm or focused. If the setting isn’t quite right for you, you may feel some side effects such as chest tightness, anxiety, nausea, or dizziness. If you feel unwell at any point during the session, please tell us straightaway – we can adjust the settings so that you feel better.
You may also feel specific effects from the neurofeedback for up to 3 days after a session. Again these may be very pleasant effects like feeling more relaxed, focused, better mood and or sleeping better, or it may be side effects that you are not happy with such as tiredness, anxiety, mood changes or headaches. Please tell us any effects that you experience over the few days following your session, whether good or bad. This means we can adjust the settings for the next session and over time we will find the settings that suit you the best and make you feel good.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
It is common for people to report improvement of various symptoms following neurofeedback sessions, such as better sleep, better mood and less mood swings, reduced pain, less headaches, feeling more relaxed and better ability to concentrate. Neurofeedback can also be very helpful in calming the nervous system in people with a history of trauma, and for reducing craving and addiction. Many people also report improvements in physical symptoms such as migraines/headaches, IBS, or muscle tension. One of the big benefits of neurofeedback compared to other treatment modalities is that it is normally a very enjoyable experience. It really is as simply as relaxing in an armchair and watching Netflix, there is no effort needed on your part.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
Neurofeedback is a completely non-invasive therapy. All we are doing is giving the brain information about its own activity. As the brain reacts to this information, sometimes a few side effects can occur as a result of neurofeedback, especially at first as we are adjusting the settings. We expect these to be temporary as long as we change to a different setting on the equipment for the following session. Side effects could include: headache, dizziness, feeling sick, feeling dazed, feeling agitated or disturbed sleep. Very occasionally people can have an allergic reaction to the paste or gel we use on the scalp.
HOW MANY SESSIONS WILL I NEED?
Neurofeedback is a process of the brain learning how to better control itself. Like learning anything, it takes time, and different people will need different amounts of sessions. Most people expect to see a significant improvement in troublesome symptoms after 20 sessions, and some positive effects even after the first 4-5 sessions. However people who have many severe symptoms or complex problems might expect to require 40-60 sessions or more to get the maximum benefit.
HOW MUCH DOES NEUROFEEDBACK THERAPY COST?
The software and equipment required to provide high quality neurofeedback therapy is quite expensive, especially for infra-low frequency (ILF) neurofeedback, as a specialised amplifier is required to filter out the low frequency signal for analysis. In addition a trained practitioner is required to adjust the equipment settings for the best results. We try and keep our prices reasonable so that we can offer neurofeedback to as many people as possible that might benefit. We also offer a reduced cost initial consultation and first experience of neurofeedback. Please see our prices page for current rates.
IS THERE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT NEUROFEEDBACK?
There has been a great deal of research done into the use of neurofeedback for various conditions. A good starting place to look at research is the EEG Info website that has collated relevant material about different conditions. For a collection of recently published papers specifically on ILF neurofeedback you may want to look at the recent Frontiers Research Topic
WHY CAN'T I GET NEUROFEEDBACK ON THE NHS?
Great question! We look forward to a time in the future when you will be able to. In the USA and in Germany for example, neurofeedback is a recognised therapy which can be accessed via medical insurance. You can see some of the positive recommendations of Neurofeedback from the medical community
here. Unfortunately, currently in the UK, there is no access to neurofeedback on the NHS. There is still a lack of awareness within the medical field in the UK about the vast potential of neurofeedback therapy, but we hope that this will start to change in the future.