stroke Tag

Neurofeedback and Post- Stroke Recovery

A stroke is the sudden death of brain cells in a localized area due to inadequate blood flow. Depending on the region of the brain affected, a stroke may cause paralysis, speech impairment, loss of memory and reasoning ability, coma, or death. A stroke also is sometimes called a brain attack or a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).1

Stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability in the United States at a cost of $38 billion per year. About 650,000 persons survive a new stroke yearly and 7 million Americans live with the complications of stroke.2

Conventional therapy has traditionally involved physical, occupational, and speech therapy to adress continuing issues such as paralysis, weakness, trouble with thinking, awareness, attention, learning, judgment, and memory, and problems understanding or forming speech.

Once you have had one stroke, there is a greatly increased risk for recurrence, especially in the time directly following the event. The treatment of underlying conditions  including heart disease, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, high cholesterol, and diabetes is essential to prevent another stroke. Changes in diet and lifestyle are important to adress these issues, in addition to the other therapies provided.

As this article is being updated, we are facing a world wide pandemic. In December of 2019 a novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or COVID-19 as it is now known, has quickly spread worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests for a potential increased risk for cerebrovascular diseases in patients with COVID-19.3

Neurofeedback as an Adjunct Therapy in Stroke Recovery

Neurofeedback is non-invasive, completely safe and side- effect free therapy that shows great promise as an adjuct therapy in the treatment of stroke.