What is biofeedback?

The word Biofeedback was coined in late 1969 to describe laboratory procedures that trained research subjects to alter their brain activity, blood pressure, muscle tension, heart rate and other body functions which are not normally controlled voluntarily.

Biofeedback is a training technique in which people are taught to improve their health and performance by using signals from their own bodies.

Although biofeedback was initially viewed with skepticism, research provided evidence that many individuals could alter their involuntary responses by being ‘fed back’ information either visually or audibly to show what was occurring in their bodies.

Currently, official medical studies have shown that humans have more control over so called involuntary bodily functions than what was once thought possible. As a result, biofeedback trains individuals with techniques to live a healthier overall life whether one is afflicted with a medical condition or not.

For example, people learn to associate their muscle sensations with the actual levels of muscle tension and develop a new healthy habit of keeping their muscles only as tense as is necessary for as long as necessary. After treatment, individuals are able to repeat this response at will, without being attached to the sensors.

Victims of spinal cord damage, paralysis and chronic neuromuscular disease have been able to regain much of their muscular limb capabilities after biofeedback training. The results sometimes appear as miracles. People who were told that they would never walk or use their hands are able to learn to walk again and feed themselves. Life changing skills are developed and have become a natural result of the practical use of biofeedback technology.

Biofeedback is more effective when combined with other techniques of rehabilitation.

What does Euromed’s  NEW COMPLEX THERAPY have in common with biofeedback????

Euromed’s NEW COMPLEX THERAPY is based on the generally accepted, well known medical elements of classic biofeedback with the added benefit of incorporating high technique therapeutics and diagnostics into a complex rehabilitation regimen, which is custom designed for each patient.

Patients suffering from spinal cord damage, CP and other neuromuscular disorders exhibit a variety of highly individualized medical pathologies and conditions.

For example, CP is often accompanied with hearing or vision impairment, different forms of scoliosis, muscle tension problems, spasticity, hypo tonics or concentration disorders.

THE NEW COMPLEX THERAPY components assist Doctors and therapists to recognize various pathological synergies before the process of rehabilitation begins.

THE NEW COMPLEX THERAPY can be received separately or can be combined with Adeli Suit Therapy & Methodology. Receiving both at the same time will accelerate the process of rehabilitation and increase the overall therapeutic effectiveness achieved.

The Euromed Rehabilitation Center in Mielno, Poland offers the following NEW THERAPY units and equipment:

1.REA-MED A

Rea-Med A therapy uses bio-controlling equipment for the correction of vision impairment.

This unit is used for treating myopia [short sightedness], hyperopia [far sightedness] hypermeotrophy and astigmatism.

During therapy a set of electrodes are placed on the patient?s head and they observe a picture on a computer screen. EEG signals are sent through the sensors [electrodes] to the computer where they are registered, analyzed and converted. The converted signals are exhibited on the computer screen in a graphic format. The patient is prompted to improve his/her concentration and visual focus. Some prompting and focus is performed automatically by virtue of human nature and other prompting and stimuli are introduced through the computer with the guidance of a physician. These prompts lead to targeting and activating the areas of the brain responsible for vision acuity. REA-MED A improves the brain?s sight analyzers and increases the accuracy and development of the affected optical function areas.

2. REA-MED S

Rea-Med S therapy uses diagnostic and bio-controlling equipment for the correction of posture disorders and for the correction of the early stages of scoliosis. This unit is used for the diagnosis and rehabilitation of various conditions that involve muscle asymmetry.

Using bioelectric signals, a patient observes graphic computer representations of their muscle activities and movements. Through inner biofeedback signals the patient is taught to isolate, control and correct abnormalities of posture and scoliosis. Improved proprioceptive sensibility is achieved through Rea-Med S muscle training. This sensibility leads to improved joint and muscle perception. A patient is able to control the functional load of their dorsum muscles which, under normal therapy conditions, are very difficult to isolate and train.

Rea-Med S is recommended for patients age 6 years and older who are cognitively able to respond to simple commands.

3. REA-MED M

Rea-Med M therapy uses biofeedback equipment for the rehabilitation of patients who suffer from brain injuries, neurological infection, central nervous system intoxication, paralysis after strokes, spinal paralysis, infantile cerebral palsy, heredofamiliar tremor, neuromuscular disorders and other chronic diseases of the nervous system. This unit is used for diagnostics and rehabilitation of the above conditions and is also instrumental in diagnosis and treatment of patients who have had tendon releases and other orthopedic interventions .

The Rea-Med M therapy is a functional method of biofeedback used for the correction of various types of locomotive dysfunction. The patient, by observing a computer screen, is prompted to control phasic muscle movements and engage the work of muscles which function incorrectly, or not at all. Simultaneously, this therapy teaches the patient how to eliminate excessive pathological tension around contracting muscle groups. Medical studies report the following findings:

- muscular sensation development, proper elements of movement

- improvement of muscular contraction ability

- reduction of excessive muscle tension

- elimination of pathological synergies

- elimination of involuntary movement

- better support and balance control

- gait improvement

The EUROMED REHABILITATION CENTER in Mielno, Poland offers a modified therapy program for the treatment of patients with spinal cord damage.

Clinical testing of patients with spinal cord damage, current research findings and many years of successful application of Adeli Suit Therapy & Methodology exhibit the following documented results:

-increased muscular strength in muscle groups affected by paresis

-increased precision of upper limb motion

-increased muscle strength in trunk, shoulder girdle,  posture alignment improvement

-increased confidence in the patient?s preparation for future gait attempts

-improvement of range of motion in joints

-decreased spasticity

-constant stimulation of superficial and deep sensibility receptors

-improvement of physio -pathologic functions such as trophic conditions in joints, blood

circulation, respiratory functions, metabolism.

-increased physical efficiency and endurance

-self sufficiency improvement

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

Clinical manifestation of spinal cord damage such as:

-Upper extremities paresis and lower extremities paresis or paralysis

-Lower extremities paresis with maintained function of upper extremities

-Decreased trunk muscle strength responsible for maintaining the proper posture along with a

hypo function

-Upper and lower extremities contractures

-Deep and superficial sensibility disorders

-Spastic muscle tension in upper and lower extremities

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR TREATMENT:

- medical documentation of each patient

- stable condition of a patient

- minimal six- month period after surgery

Doctors diagnose cerebral palsy by testing motor skills and reflexes, looking into medical history, and employing a variety of specialized tests.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy include difficulty with fine motor tasks e.g. writing or using scissors, difficulty maintaining balance or walking, involuntary movements. Some patients suffering from CP are also affected by other medical disorders, including seizures or mental impairment. Infants with cerebral palsy are frequently slow to reach developmental milestones such as learning to roll over, sit, crawl, or walk.

The causes of cerebral palsy include illness during pregnancy, premature delivery, or lack of oxygen supply to the baby. It may also occur early in life as a result of an accident, lead poisoning, viral infection, child abuse, or other factors. Chief among the causes is an insufficient amount of oxygen or poor flow of blood reaching the fetal or newborn brain. This can be caused by premature separation of the placenta, an awkward birth position, labor that goes on too long or is too abrupt, or interference with the umbilical cord. Other causes may be associated with premature birth, RH or A-B-O blood type incompatibility betw\een parents, infection of the mother with German measles or other viral diseases in early pregnancy, and microorganisms that attack the newborn’s central nervous system. Lack of good prenatal care may also be a factor. A less common type is acquired cerebral palsy: head injury is the most frequent cause, usually the result of motor vehicle accidents, falls, or child abuse.
Although motor disability of a patient with CP varies greatly from one person to another, there are three main types of CP:
Spastic is the most common form of CP, where there is too much muscle tone or tightness. Movements are stiff, especially in the legs, arms, and/or back. Children with this form of CP move their legs awkwardly, turning in or scissoring their legs as they try to walk.
Athetoid CP (also called dyskinetic CP) can affect the entire body and involves slow, uncontrolled body movements and low muscle tone that makes it hard for the person to sit straight and walk.
Mixed CP is a combination of the symptoms listed above. Patients have both high and low tone muscle. Some muscles are too tight, and others are too loose, creating a mix of stiffness and involuntary movements.
Diplegia means that only the legs are affected.
Hemiplegia means that an arm and a leg on one side of the bosy are affected.
Quadriplegia involves both arms and legs affection, sometimes including facial muscles and torso.
There is no standard therapy that works for all patients. Drugs can be used to control seizures and muscle spasms. Special equipment e.g. braces (also called AFOs) may be used to hold the foot in place when the child stands or walks. Custom splints can provide support to help a child use his or her hands. A variety of therapy equipment and adapted toys are available to help children play and have fun while they are working their bodies. Activities such as swimming or horseback riding can help strengthen weaker muscles and relax the tighter ones. Furhermore, patients with CP may need different kinds of therapy to overcome their impairments. Physical therapy (PT) helps to develop the strenght of muscles such as those in the legs and trunk, as well as, to improve or develop skills such as walking, sitting, and maintaining balance. Occupational therapy (OT) develops fine motor skills such as dressing, feeding, writing, and other daily living tasks. Speech Therapy may help patients to develop communication skills focusing in particular on speaking, which may be difficult due to problems with muscle tone of the tongue and throat.
Euromed Rehabilitation Center in Poland offers an intense and complex therapy progam adjusted to needs of particular patients with Cerebral Palsy. For further details please check OUR OFFER.