Difficulties encountered which could be enhanced
Chronic pain is a continuous pain that persists longer than the normal healing period of an illness or injury, for a period of more than three to six months. For fibromyalgia, it is characterized by distressed pain throughout the body that is often associated with fatigue and sleep disorders.
At the brain level, the regions that are responsible for managing pain are on the top of the head. In people with chronic pain or fibromyalgia, we often notice hyperactivity in these areas. Training in Neurofeedback will aim to calm them down.
Studies examining the effects of Neurofeedback on chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, trigeminal neuralgia and complex regional pain syndrome type 1 have shown a reduction in the intensity of pain, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Ibric et al (2014) reported that out of 74 patients treated with Neurofeedback for pain caused by chronic illness, injury, surgery or other sources, 68 (92%) reported a significant clinical improvement of their pain after at least 19 Neurofeedback sessions.
A patient in the same study who had been diagnosed with leukemia and colon cancer reported a 50% reduction in their pain, better control of their anxiety and depressive states. In addition, they reported having better sleep and decreased medication used for more than two and a half years after their last Neurofeedback session.
These data are taken from the following article published in 2014 by Lorenzo Cohen, PhD
- Decreased intensity of pain
- Decreased frequency and duration of seizures
- Improved sleeping
- Better quality of life
- Feeling of well-being accented
In the clinic, we noticed that the majority of clients perceive a decrease in pain after 5 to 6 sessions of Neurofeedback and will generally continue to make about 20 sessions in total to achieve significant levels of improvement.