Anxiety in the brain?

NeuroNavigator swLORETA analysis shows dysregulation in the amygdala and other areas of the brain of this anxious patient treated at my office.

​Some anxiety is a normal part of life. But when anxiety levels increase to a point that it interferes with someone's health and happiness, help is out there.

One of the therapies I used for anxiety is Neurofeedback. The first step is to utilize quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and do a brain map to identify the parts of the brain that are not functioning efficiently. Neurofeedback can then be used to retrain those dysregulated areas of the brain. When this is done, symptoms go away. In my office, patients report these changes to be permanent and I some of them years after treatment as they may choose to also pursue chiropractic care with me or may have been an existing chiropractic patient before Neurofeedback. 

More recent research has shown that there is an anxiety network in the brain. Different areas of the brain can be involved. These include the amygdala, the insula, the middle frontal gyrus and superior parietal lobule. For conditions like OCD, the anterior cingulate, cingulate, and orbitofrontal gyrus should be considered. PTSD includes other regions. There are other areas that may be involved, depending on patient symptoms.

Do you or someone you know have anxiety? They may have dysregulation in these areas of the brain. The good news is there is treatment for this including Neurofeedback. I also do traditional psychotherapy and EMDR in my office, which may be more appropriate, especially if the anxiety does not have a brain basis. This is all part of the comprehensive analysis and diagnosis done at Tuttle Health, LLC in Palm Harbor, Florida. 

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