ARCHIVE

COMMON WAYS THE BRAIN AND MEMORY GET DAMAGED

Head injuries

Excessive drug or alcohol use

Health conditions that affect blood flow

Infections

HEALING THE BRAIN AND MEMORY

Healing after head injury

Healing damage from alcohol and drugs

Healing from health conditions

Healing from infections

HOW HEAD TRAUMA AFFECTS MEMORY AND MORE

• Prefrontal cortex (judgment, planning, forethought, and impulse control)
• Temporal lobes (learning, memory, and mood stability)
• Cerebellum (mental agility and processing speed)

CAN FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYERS IMPROVE BRAIN HEALTH?

5 WAYS TO REHAB THE BRAIN AFTER HEAD INJURY

1. Take brain-smart supplements.

• A multivitamin Our food supply has been processed to the point where we have removed many of the nutrients. Plus, 91% of Americans do not eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day—the minimum required to get the nutrition that you need. Everyone should take a multivitamin.
• Omega-3 fatty acids Omega-3 fatty acids are critical to building healthy cell membranes, which are crucial for all our cells to work and essential for our brain cells to make the trillions of connections that enable peak cognitive, mood, and behavioral performance. Low omega-3 fatty acids are associated with heart disease, cancer, skin problems, diabetes, obesity, depression, and dementia.
• Vitamin D Vitamin D used to be considered just a bone vitamin, but intensive research established that the body converts it into a hormone that also helps regulate brain, cardiovascular, immune, muscle, lung, joint, and kidney functions. Vitamin D is important for the brain’s early development and ongoing renewal, and in clinical trials, it promotes healthy mood management and cognitive functions.
• A combination of brain-directed supplements Ginkgo biloba (supports healthy blood flow), acetyl-l-carnitine (supports mitochondrial energy), huperzine A (supports acetylcholine), N-acetyl-cysteine and alpha-lipoic acid (antioxidant support), and phosphatidylserine (for nerve cell membrane support) are all critical for optimal brain function.

2. Check your HbA1C and fasting blood sugar levels.

3. Check your thyroid, DHEA, and testosterone levels.

4. Try hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

5. Protect your head.

PERSONAL INSIGHTS FROM BRAIN IMAGING

How Seeing the Brain Changes Your Mindset

A Referral to Amen Clinics was Needed!

The Power of Brain Scans

• Reasoning and decision-making
• Planning and forethought
• Insight
• Empathy
• Judgment
• Impulse control

Brain Trauma and Mental Illness

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Psychosis
• PTSD
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• ADD/ADHD or learning problems
• Personality disorders
• Aggression
• Suicide
• Dementia
• Homelessness
• Victimization
• And increase the risk of incarceration

There’s no question police officers have a very hazardous job. Every officer undergoes extensive training to be prepared for the possible dangers of dealing with an armed suspect, a hostage situation, or a robbery in progress. But they may not be fully aware of the threat associated with on-the-job concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

Over 2 million new head injuries occur in the U.S. every year, according to the CDC. Although there aren’t specific statistics available on the prevalence of TBIs among law enforcement personnel, a 2018 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine does show that officers are three times as likely to suffer a nonfatal injury than all other U.S. workers.

Even though most people are familiar with some of the physical effects of TBIs, very few know that they are also a major cause of psychiatric illness. Even in the medical community and the mental health field, this fact remains hidden. In large part, there are two main reasons why:

1. Traditional psychiatrists rarely ever look at their patients’ brains, so they don’t make the connection between mental health and brain health.

2. The brain imaging tools medical professionals typically use to assess a TBI, such as MRI or CT scans, look only at the brain’s structure, not its function. This results in many people with TBIs being told their results are normal, even though they may be experiencing symptoms that are anything but normal.

Common Causes of TBIs in Law Enforcement

Police officers are vulnerable to a wide range of head injuries. Some of the common causes of TBIs among police officers include:

• Vehicle crashes
• Falls
• Intentional or accidental blows to the head
• Explosive forced entry
• Flashbang devices
• Chronic exposure to low-level blasts

Research on military veterans shows that repetitive low-level blasts can cause TBIs even if they didn’t experience symptoms associated with a concussion. Tactical law enforcement personnel are also repeatedly exposed to low-level blasts and need to be aware of the consequences.

What Happens in the Brain After Physical Trauma?

Many people think the brain is rubbery and fixed within the skull, but it isn’t. In fact, the brain is soft, about the consistency of soft butter, tofu, or custard—somewhere between egg whites and gelatin. It floats in cerebrospinal fluid and is housed in a very hard skull that has many sharp bony ridges. As such, it is easily damaged.

Whiplash, falls, and blows to the head can cause the brain to slosh around, slamming into the hard ridges inside the skull. In the event of a blast, a sharp rise in atmospheric pressure sets off shock waves within the brain. These temporary effects can lead to long-term harm.

This can cause a cascade of brain injuries, including:

• Bruising
• Broken blood vessels and bleeding
• Increased pressure
• Lack of oxygen
• Damage to nerve cell connections
• Ripping open brain cells that spill out proteins like “tau” that cause inflammatory reactions

In addition, the pituitary gland, which regulates hormone production, is located in a vulnerable part of the skull and is often damaged in head injuries. This can cause major hormonal imbalances that are also linked to mental health issues.

Functional brain scans, such as brain SPECT imaging, can reveal signs of TBI in the brain. Typically, SPECT findings in TBIs include areas of decreased activity from the injury in addition to injuries in a contra-coup (opposing area) pattern. In some cases, there may be excessive activity seen in the site of an injury.

Recognize the Signs and Symptoms of TBIs

In some people, the signs and symptoms of a TBI or concussion develop immediately. In others, it may be days, weeks, months, or even years before symptoms emerge. In still other people, no symptoms surface until a second or third head injury triggers a problem.

It’s important to understand that there are physical, sensory, mental, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms associated with head injuries.

Physical and Sensory Symptoms:

• Loss of consciousness
• Feeling dazed or disoriented
• Fatigue
• Trouble sleeping
• Sleeping more than usual
• Problems speaking
• Sensitivity to noise and/or light
• Vision problems
• Ringing in the ears
• Dizziness
• Balance problems
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Changes in sense of smell
•  

Mental and Cognitive Symptoms:

• Confusion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Trouble paying attention
• Memory problems
• Difficulty with word-finding
• Mental fatigue
• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Impulsivity

Behavioral Symptoms:

• Social withdrawal
• Angry or violent outbursts
• Drug or alcohol abuse

When symptoms persist, they can lead to other consequences. Cognitive problems, aggression, impulsivity, and other issues can put officers at serious risk of other injuries, including additional head injuries.

Head Injuries and Mental Health

Law enforcement personnel need to be aware that TBI has been linked to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, ADD/ADHD, learning problems, memory problems and dementia, school failure, job failure, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, psychosis, borderline personality disorder, murder, and suicide.

The problem is most people don’t connect the dots between their psychiatric symptoms and a head injury that may have happened years earlier. In fact, many people forget they’ve suffered a significant head injury as amnesia surrounding an accident is common.

Getting Help for TBIs

Unfortunately, trying to treat the psychiatric symptoms alone doesn’t work and won’t until the underlying brain injury is healed. However, adopting a brain optimization program that includes taking measures to protect your brain from future injuries, good nutrition, regular physical exercise, targeted supplements, and new learning is a good place to start. Other treatments that help heal the brain include neurofeedback and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

• Neurofeedback is an interactive, non-invasive treatment that helps strengthen and retrain the brain to achieve a healthier, more focused state. Research, including a 2017 study on 40 individuals with post-concussion syndrome, shows it is helpful for people with TBI.

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a noninvasive treatment that involves breathing 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber to accelerate the healing process. A brain SPECT imaging study from 2011 on people with a TBI showed significant improvement in mood, impulsivity, anxiety, and quality of life scores following treatment with HBOT.

At Amen Clinics, we have helped thousands of people with concussions or TBIs to heal their brain and minimize their symptoms. We use a combination of the least toxic, most effective therapies, which may include neurofeedback, HBOT, nutraceuticals, and medications, as well as simple lifestyle changes that can make a big difference.

If you have suffered a concussion or head injury, find out how we can help. Talk to a specialist today by calling 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

Firefighters routinely put themselves in harm’s way by battling urban blazes and wildfires. But the flames aren’t the only danger they face. Breathing in carbon monoxide and other toxins, repeated exposure to emotional trauma, and the possibility of head injuries put them at increased risk of unhealthy brain function.

Brain imaging studies on a group of 50 of firefighters performed at Amen Clinics show troubling findings:

• 67% show evidence of head trauma
• 63% show evidence of moderate toxicity
• 45% show evidence of chronic emotional trauma
• 40% show evidence of ADHD

All of these brain issues increase the likelihood of mental, behavioral, and cognitive problems, but few firefighters are aware of this.

How Head Injuries Cause Lasting Harm

Falling off the ladder, structure collapse, traffic collisions involving emergency vehicles—firefighters are at risk for head trauma. It is estimated that up to 15% of all firefighter injuries are head injuries. That amounts to over 4,000 head injuries a year, and the number could actually be much higher since many first responders may not think their injury is significant enough to report.

But concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)—even if they don’t cause you to lose consciousness—can lead to problems in the following weeks, months, and years. Research shows that head trauma increases the risk of depression, anxiety and panic disorders, ADD/ADHD, drug and alcohol abuse, psychosis, chronic emotional trauma and stress, borderline and antisocial personality disorders, dementia, and suicide. But since psychiatrists rarely look at the organ they treat, first responders may not be aware that this is the root cause of their issues.

When Toxins Attack the Brain

Firefighters can be exposed to many toxins, including carbon monoxide, benzene, asbestos, and diesel exhaust. Statistics from a 2018 report from the National Fire Protection Association show that there were an estimated 44,530 exposures to hazardous conditions, such as radioactive materials, chemicals, and fumes.

There is growing concern that exposure to such chemicals is increasing rates of cancer among first responders. But this exposure poses another dangerous threat that isn’t getting enough attention—toxic brain.

The brain is the most metabolically active organ in the human body. As such, it is extremely vulnerable to damage from toxins, and having a toxic brain is linked to depression, ADD/ADHD, learning problems, memory problems, brain fog, autism, temper outbursts, psychotic behavior, and suicide.

On brain SPECT scans, which measure blood flow and activity in the brain, a toxic brain looks like a “Swiss cheese” brain that is full of holes. The “holes” reflect areas with low blood flow and are a sign of an unhealthy brain. It looks like their brains have been poisoned.

How Exposure to Trauma Affects the Brain

First responders witness some horrific incidents, but “they’re actually trained to stuff it, to push it down,” according to Dr. Nancy Bohl-Penrod, a psychotherapist and trainer to first responders.  In an episode of The Brain Warrior’s Way podcast, Bohl-Penrod said their training dictates, “Don’t let it bother you. Get over it as quickly as you can, because you’re going to go on another call.” In response to the repeated exposure to trauma, she’s seen firefighters develop mild depression, become more short-fused, turn to alcohol, and withdraw from their families.

These issues are related to abnormal activity in the brain. Brain imaging scans show that chronic exposure to trauma is associated with overactivity in the emotional brain, which is known as the limbic system. When there is too much activity in this brain region, it’s linked to depression, anger, and social isolation. People may also drink more because alcohol calms the overactivity.

A Look at Firefighter Steven’s Brain

At age 32, Steven was a firefighter who was suffering from depression, brain fog, and symptoms of unrelenting trauma. During his evaluation, Steven asked, “How can I deal with the trauma? I wish I could forget what my eyes have seen, from children being burned to losing whole families in car crashes and fires.”

Steven’s brain scan showed that his emotional brain—the limbic system—was working way too hard, plus he also had evidence of toxic exposure, likely from breathing carbon monoxide and the poisonous chemicals released from burning furniture. These biological problems in his brain were the root cause of the mental and cognitive issues that plagued him.

Why Firefighters Don’t Seek Help

Did you know that the adult brain loses an average of about 85,000 neurons a day? In early childhood, the brain is very active, sprouting new neurons and developing new connections between synapses. Older adults have significantly less activity in the brain. As we get older, our muscles tend to wither, and a similar process takes place in the brain.

Brain imaging studies show that your day-to-day lifestyle and activities are either accelerating or slowing the brain aging process. Just as you can train your muscles to retain a more youthful tone, you can use strategies to keep your brain functioning more optimally. Ultimately, brain aging is optional… if you consistently use the right strategies.

The Effect of Brain Reserve on Aging

One of the best ways to understand brain aging is to look at it through the lens of a concept called “brain reserve.” That’s the extra cushion of brain function you have to help you deal with the stress life throws at you. In general, the more brain reserve you have, the more resilient you are and the better your brain can handle the aging process to keep memory loss, anxiety, depression, and other issues at bay.

To grasp this point, look at the following “brain reserve” drawing. It shows the intersection of 3 important factors:

• Brain activity
• Age
• Habits

As you can see, at a certain point along the line in the graph, you cross a threshold, indicating that your reserve is gone. This is when symptoms like anxiety, depression, memory problems, or temper flare-ups can appear.

Why Do Some People Have More Brain Reserve Than Others?

Let’s rewind to unpack why people have varying levels of brain reserve. A growing body of science is showing that even before you were conceived, your parents’ lifestyle habits were laying the foundation for your overall physical and mental health and wellbeing.

At conception, your brain had a certain potential for reserve. However, if your mom smoked (or got second-hand smoke from your dad), drank too much alcohol, ate junk food, was chronically stressed, or had infections during the pregnancy, it depleted your reserve—even before you were born! If, on the other hand, your mom (and dad) didn’t smoke, and she was healthy, ate nutritious meals, took prenatal vitamins, and was not overly stressed, it was contributing to a boost in your reserve.

Once you’re born, this increase or depletion in your brain reserve continues for the rest of your life. For example, if you were exposed to chronic stress or witnessed domestic abuse at home, it decreased your reserve. If you fell off your bike and hit your head when you were in grade school, it lowered your reserve, even if didn’t have any symptoms. If you started smoking marijuana as a teenager, it further depleted your reserve. Then if you played tackle football or hit a lot of soccer balls with your head, it took an additional toll on your reserve. Despite all of these knocks on your reserve, you may not have developed any symptoms…yet.

2 Soldiers, 1 Blast, Very Different Results

Think of it this way: There are 2 soldiers in a war-torn region. They’re both in the same tank and are both exposed to the same blast injury at the same angles. They both survive the blast without physical injuries. However, one of them is subsequently wracked by PTSD and depression, while the other one experiences no residual mental health problems. Why? Luck? Probably not.

It is far more likely that the 2 soldiers had different levels of brain reserve going into the accident. One soldier had more reserve because he took good care of his brain, he had lots of educational opportunities, his parents fed him well, and they didn’t let him play football. The other soldier had less reserve due to an unstable home environment, 3 previous concussions from playing football, a junk-food diet, and drug use as a teenager. They were both effective at their jobs, but they started at different places in terms of reserve.

So even though the blast diminished both of their reserves, the one with more reserve avoided any mental health consequences while the one with less reserve fell below that threshold where the reserve is gone, making him vulnerable to problems like PTSD and depression.

It’s the same with aging.

3 Steps to Put the Brakes on Brain Aging

Getting well is not just about becoming symptom-free, but it’s also about increasing brain reserve to getting back above the line. To boost your brain reserve and slow down the aging process, you need to follow three simple strategies:

• Love your brain (you have to really care about your brain).
• Avoid the things that hurt your brain.
• Do the things that help your brain.

Your everyday habits and decisions are either boosting or stealing your brain’s reserve and are either accelerating the aging process or rejuvenating your brain. When you grasp this concept, you realize that you have a lot more influence on how fast your brain ages.

At Amen Clinics, most of the people we see are already symptomatic, which means they have crossed the brain reserve threshold. With our brain SPECT imaging, we often see that their brains look older than they should. By taking a comprehensive approach to treatment using the least toxic, most effective therapies, we can help you reduce your symptoms and rejuvenate your brain. And you can boost brain reserve so you can better handle whatever life throws your way.

For more information on how we can help you, call us at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

Did you know that a blow to the head or a whiplash-type injury can have lasting impacts long after any immediate symptoms—headaches, dizziness, blurred vision—have resolved? In fact, a concussion can have consequences that remain or emerge decades later.

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is considered a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI), which occurs in over 2 million people each year.

Why is it so easy to damage the human brain?

Your brain is very soft, and it resides within a really hard skull that has multiple sharp, bony ridges. Whiplash, jarring motions (think Shaken Baby Syndrome), blast injuries, and bumps to the head can cause your brain to slam into the hard, interior ridges of the skull. 

A concussion can cause the brain to lurch back and forth, stretching and twisting delicate tissues. This can hurt the brain in many ways, including:

• Damage to nerve cell connections
• Ripping open brain cells that spill out proteins like “tau” that cause inflammatory reactions 
• Chemical changes
• Bruising
• Broken blood vessels and bleeding
• Increased pressure
• Lack of oxygen

5 Long-term Concussion Consequences

1. Memory loss

A study in PLOS Medical Journal found that people with a traumatic brain injury were 4 to 6 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia within a year of the injury compared with people who had not suffered a TBI. This same 2018 study also reported that a concussion raises the risk of developing dementia over three decades later.

2. Abnormal tau proteins in the brain

Research shows that repeated concussions and TBIs, especially sports-related injuries in young athletes, can cause a proliferation of tau proteins within the brain. These substances are considered hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease and have been associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the neurodegenerative disease that has been documented in professional boxers and football players.

3. Loss of smell

Loss of smell is a common consequence of head trauma, and although it may sound inconsequential, it can be indicative of a serious problem. The area of the brain involved with smell (olfactory cortex) is near the memory centers, and they tend to deteriorate and die together. Having trouble smelling things like peanut butter, lemon, strawberries, or natural gas is associated with a higher incidence of significant memory problems, according to the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Scoring poorly on the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test strongly predicted those who would be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease later in life. 

4. Addiction

People who suffered a head injury prior to their 5th birthday or between the ages of 16 and 21 are at an increased risk of developing drug abuse, according to a 2014 study. Substances like drugs and alcohol are toxic to the brain and cause further damage that can negatively impact your life in many ways.

5. Mental health problems

Experiencing a head injury raises the risk of developing a mental illness, but surprisingly, few mental health providers are aware of this. Concussions and TBIs—even ones that occurred years earlier—have been linked to a rise in the following conditions:

• ADD/ADHD
• Anxiety and panic disorders
• Depression
• PTSD
• Borderline personality disorders
• Anger issues
• Psychosis
• Suicide

Have You Had a Concussion?

You might assume that you would readily remember if you had suffered a concussion, but a surprising number of people don’t recall experiencing a head injury. Some develop a form of amnesia surrounding the event, others think the bang on the head they got as a kid wasn’t significant enough to cause problems. Take some time to remember (or ask your parents) if you have ever experienced any of the following common causes of concussion:

• Fall out of a tree?
• Fall down the stairs?
• Fall off a horse?
• Fall off a roof?
• Dive headfirst into a shallow pool or the ocean?
• Fall off a fence headfirst?
• Have a car accident?
• Have whiplash?
• Sustain a work-related head injury?
• Suffer a concussion or head injury playing sports?

If you do recall a head injury, and you’re plagued with bothersome symptoms, it’s time to take action.

Consider Getting a Functional Imaging Study

A functional imaging study, such as SPECT or qEEG, may help pinpoint injured areas and is worth investigating if you are experiencing any issues with memory, substance use disorders, or mental health issues. Identifying past brain trauma can be a powerful first step to healing the brain and eliminating your symptoms.

At Amen Clinics about 40% of our patients have experienced a concussion or TBI, but many of them don’t remember it… until they see the damage in their brain scan or QEEG. Seeing the underlying biology of the brain allows us to create a personalized treatment plan to heal the brain and address the root cause of symptoms. For head injuries, we use a combination of the least toxic, most effective therapies, which may include neurofeedback, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), nutraceuticals, and medications, as well as simple lifestyle changes that can make a big difference.

If you’re tired of struggling with symptoms and think you may have suffered a concussion or head injury, find out how we can help. Talk to a specialist today by calling 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

Tumbling off a bike, tripping while running in the house, or getting a kick in the head while playing soccer—getting hurt is part of growing up. However, suffering a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) from such head trauma is becoming more common. In fact, from 2010-2015, concussion diagnoses among tweens and teens ages 10-19 skyrocketed 71 percent. These seemingly mild head injuries can be devastating in ways you might not imagine, with consequences that can extend far beyond the initial blow to cause a lasting negative impact on a child’s life.

Take Joey, for example. He fell down a flight of stairs at age three. Even though he was unconscious for only a few minutes and was given a diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), there was nothing mild about the enduring effect the injury had on his life. By the time he was 15, he had been kicked out of his third residential treatment program for violence. Neither medication nor behavioral therapy was the answer—Joey needed a brain rehabilitation program.

If your child has suffered a head injury, here are 7 things you need to know:

Fact #1. TBI’s can impact cognitive function.

Head trauma can affect a child’s cognitive skills, causing problems with learning, attention and concentration, planning, problem-solving, memory, communication, and more. These are the fundamental building blocks of education and can set a child up for trouble in school.

Fact #2. Head injuries increase the risk of mental illness.

A concussion or TBI as a child increases the likelihood of developing mental health conditions, but few healthcare professionals know it. TBI is associated with a rise in:

• ADD/ADHD
• Depression
• Anxiety and panic disorders
• Psychosis
• PTSD
• Suicide
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Borderline and antisocial personality disorders
• Dementia
• Aggression

Fact #3. Head trauma increases the risk of incarceration.

In a review of studies involving juvenile offenders, researchers found that about 30% of them had suffered a past TBI. Their findings suggest that juvenile offenders are significantly more likely to have a TBI compared to the general population.

Fact #4. Head injuries can disrupt healthy hormone production.

TBIs, especially those from whiplash injuries, can damage the pituitary gland, which plays a vital role in the regulation and production of the body’s hormones. This can lead to hormonal dysfunction, which can negatively impact neurotransmitter production and raises the risk of experiencing symptoms of mental illness.

Fact #5. TBI’s can happen at home or on the playing field.

You may think TBIs only happen in major car accidents, but new research shows that sports and recreational activities and everyday consumer products account for 72% of children’s emergency room visits for a TBI-related injury. According to the 2019 study in the journal Brain, sports and recreational activities (especially football, biking, and basketball) account for 28.8% of head injuries, home furnishings (primarily beds) and fixtures are linked to 17.2%, residential structures and construction materials are responsible for 17.1%, child nursery equipment is tied to 2.7%, and toys make up 2.4%.

Fact #6. Functional brain imaging tests can reveal damage from past head injuries.

Following a TBI, brain imaging tests that show the brain’s structure, such as MRI, may not indicate any damage to the anatomy of the brain. However, functional brain scans, such as brain SPECT imaging, can reveal areas of the brain with abnormal activity due to past trauma. When a person who is experiencing symptoms of a psychiatric disorder has a brain scan that reveals signs of a TBI, it helps them get a more accurate diagnosis. For people with a past head injury, treating only the psychiatric symptoms often doesn’t work. They also need treatment to help balance underlying brain activity.

For many people, seeing their brain scan serves as a reminder of past head trauma they had forgotten. That’s what happened to controversial YouTube star Logan Paul, who is well-known for taking wild risks and performing dangerous stunts. He wanted to get a brain scan to find out why he makes so many bad decisions, why he lacks empathy, and why he is incapable of maintaining a committed relationship. When he looked at his brain scan, it jogged his memory of playing tackle football in high school where he was “always getting hit in the head.” Those blows to the head likely played a part in the issues he was having.

Fact #7. Healing the brain can help soothe symptoms.

Therapies that help heal abnormal brain activity due to TBI include hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and neurofeedback. HBOT speeds healing and boosts cognitive and emotional functioning. Neurofeedback is a non-invasive strategy that has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, attention problems, and more. Eating a brain-healthy diet and taking targeted nutritional supplements can also contribute to more balanced brain activity.

At Amen Clinics, we have helped thousands of children and adults with concussions or TBIs to heal their brain and minimize their symptoms. We use a combination of the least toxic, most effective therapies, which may include neurofeedback, HBOT, nutraceuticals, and medications, as well as simple lifestyle changes that can make a big difference.

If your child has suffered a concussion or head injury, find out how we can help. Talk to a specialist today by calling 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

Chronic pain can impact your life in so many ways. It can rob you of the activities you once loved and leave you feeling depressed and anxious. It can also alter your brain in ways that keep you mired in negative moods and emotions.

That’s what happened to Sam, a 38-year-old police officer. After three car accidents, he had pain that didn’t go away, even after six back surgeries. The pain was so intense, he was practically bedridden, and his family was about to leave him. He couldn’t stop thinking about the pain, and believing he had no way out, Sam attempted suicide. It was only after that attempt that Sam sought help to find out what was happening in his brain.

CHRONIC PAIN IN THE BRAIN

Chronic pain can change the way your brain functions. Brain imaging shows that people who have chronic pain often have high activity in the thalamus, which is part of the limbic system that is the brain’s emotional center. Too much activity in this region is associated with depression.

Sam also had marked overactivity in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG). This area of the brain acts like the brain’s gear shifter. When it is healthy, it helps you go from one idea to another. When it is overactive, you tend to get stuck on worrisome thoughts. It also indicates low levels of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin. When serotonin is low, people tend to be obsessive, moody, and inflexible. This caused Sam to get stuck on thoughts about his pain and his perceived hopelessness.

GETTING YOUR BRAIN UNSTUCK

Even though chronic pain can alter the way your brain functions, it doesn’t have to be permanent. If you’re suffering from chronic pain, medication may be recommended, but there are also many natural ways to calm an overactive limbic system as well as an ACG that is working too hard.

5 Ways to Balance the Limbic System

• Supplements: Mood-supporting supplements like SAMe and fish oil support healthy limbic system function.
• Acupuncture: The ancient medical art of acupuncture has been shown to help with pain and mood, and brain imaging studies show it calms the limbic system.
• Neurofeedback: Studies suggest that this treatment, in which brain-wave activity is measured and then optimized through training, can help with pain and mood.
• ANT Therapy: Challenging the ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) that infest your mind can help you gain more control over your feelings and behavior.
• Strengthen your social bonds: Surrounding yourself with supportive people who make you feel good can help keep negativity at bay.

3 Ways to Balance the Anterior Cingulate Gyrus

• Supplements: The supplements 5-HTP, saffron, inositol, tryptophan, St. John’s Wort, or omega-3 fatty acids higher in DHA are the most helpful for raising serotonin levels and calming this part of the brain.
• Thought stopping: Learning to stop the obsessive, worrisome thoughts that loop in your head is key to gaining control over your thinking.
• Nutritional interventions: Complex carbohydrates (such as sweet potatoes and garbanzo beans) and foods rich in L-tryptophan (such as chicken, turkey, eggs, and nut butters) can raise serotonin levels.

Sam used a combination of these strategies—supplements, acupuncture, social bonding, and more—to balance his brain and address his pain. After a month, Sam said his back still hurt, but he was much less focused on the pain. He was able to get out of bed and go back to school to start training for a different line of work.

Don’t let chronic pain keep you on the sidelines of life. At Amen Clinics, where Sam was treated, brain SPECT imaging is performed as part of a comprehensive evaluation for people with chronic pain as well as symptoms of depression or obsessive thoughts. The Amen Clinics Method takes an integrative approach to diagnosis and treatment to help balance the brain utilizing the least toxic, most effective solutions so you can stop focusing on the pain and start living again.

To find a path to help you feel better fast, call 888-288-9834 to talk to a specialist today or schedule a visit.