BRAIN SCAN
What we call the “Brain Scan” or “Brain Mapping” at Virginia Family Medicine is a simpler name for a “quantitative electroencephalogram” or “qEEG”. The qEEG gives your provider a quantitative method to lean on when examining your mental health, to make sure your needs are best met. Given how certain different mental health issues can, at times, present similarly, your provider can elect to use state-of-the-art qEEG to chart a path to better mental health.
An electrode cap is put over the head of the patient and gel inserted between the electrodes and your scalp. Readings are taken for a few minutes, and then data analysis compares your brain to thousands of others’. A follow-up appointment a week later will let us communicate the results to you and work with you to create a plan of action to reach your mental health goals.
If you think a qEEG “Brain Scan” is right for you, consult your VFM provider to see if it’s an appropriate course of action!
Brain Scans are only offered at our Tysons II Office on Chain Bridge Road.
NEUROFEEDBACK THERAPY
Virginia Family Medicine is proud to offer neurofeedback therapy at our Tysons location. Neurofeedback therapy involves the application of sensors to the head to give feedback to the patient as to how to change their own biochemistry. There are currently two types of non-invasive, state of the art, evidence-based neurofeedback at VFM- and we are continually adding more! Schedule a free consult with to learn more.
EEG Neurofeedback:
EEG electrodes are applied to the brain to read a medley of brain waves (Alpha, Beta, Theta, Delta, Gamma). In a healthy individual, a certain amount of brain waves are present in particular proportions throughout the head. When there is a deficit, the proportion of types of brainwaves are irregular. Typically, this is unobservable to the person experiencing it except for symptoms they may be experiencing. By connecting their brain to real-time analysis software, we can reward the brain when the brain waves are within target and remove the reward when they are out of bounds. Thus, the patient slowly begins to mold their own brain to a more healthy ideal. This type of neurofeedback is applicable to many scenarios including ADHD/ADD, TBI, headache, anxiety, and insomnia- just to name a few.
HEG NIR Neurofeedback (Hemoencephalographic Near-Infrared):
By measuring the amount of red light that passes through the frontal lobe, HEG neurofeedback measures the amount of blood flow to the frontal lobe. By increasing blood flow to the frontal lobe, one can see a decrease in executive function problems- namely ADHD for which this is most popular. HEG neurofeedback is also excellent for what is called “peak performance” neurofeedback in which the patient does not have any deficits per se, but wants to be able to go above and beyond average functioning. HEG neurofeedback has a narrow application, but can be used to tremendous effect.
There are no major side-effects to either treatment other than some short-term fatigue after the session. Book an appointment to speak with our neurofeedback and neuropsychological testing specialist Safa Farhoumand to learn more!
