Headaches & Migraines
Chronic or recurring headaches and migraines. Drug-free training that may help the brain settle into calmer, steadier patterns.
Signs you might recognize
Headaches several days a week, or that never fully clear
Migraine attacks that take you out of commission
Pain that comes with light or sound sensitivity
Tension that builds up the back of the neck and head
Headaches triggered by stress, screens, or poor sleep
Reaching for pain relievers more often than you would like
Headaches that disrupt work, sleep, or family time
When your head hurts more days than not, it wears down everything else: your patience, your focus, your willingness to make plans you might have to cancel. Chronic headaches and migraines are not something you should simply have to live around, and they are not in your imagination. They involve real patterns in an overexcitable nervous system.
Neurofeedback for migraines and chronic headaches is a drug-free way to work on those patterns. At Source Neurofeedback in Clarksville, TN, we start by mapping what your brain is doing, then train it toward calmer, steadier patterns, as one part of your headache care.
Some headaches are warning signs. Call 911 or go to the ER for a sudden, severe headache that peaks within seconds (a thunderclap headache, the worst of your life), a headache with fever and a stiff neck, or one that comes with confusion, fainting, weakness, numbness, trouble speaking, or vision changes, and for any bad headache after a head injury. A new or clearly changing headache pattern, especially in older adults, should be checked by a doctor. Neurofeedback is not emergency care, and a qEEG brain map does not diagnose the cause of headaches.
Where a qEEG brain map fits with headaches and migraines
Many chronic headaches and migraines involve a nervous system that is easily overstimulated, quick to ramp up and slow to settle. That is part of why stress, screens, poor sleep, and tension can all set one off.
A qEEG brain map records your brain’s electrical activity. It does not diagnose the cause of your headaches. What it can show is where activity looks unusually fast or slow, which helps us decide where to focus training.
How neurofeedback works for migraines and headaches
Neurofeedback is brain training, not brain stimulation. Small sensors on your scalp read your brainwave activity. Nothing is sent into your brain. When your brain drifts toward a calmer, more regulated pattern, the system rewards it in real time through sound or video.
The goal is to help an overexcitable nervous system settle, so it is a little less primed to tip into a headache. Many clients tell us their headaches feel less frequent or less intense, though how much changes, and how quickly, is different for everyone.
What training looks like at Source
Everything starts with a qEEG brain map. It is painless and takes about an hour. We record your brain’s electrical activity and turn it into a color-coded picture of where things look overactive or underactive.
Then Dr. Cindy Morrey sits down with you and goes through the results in plain language. You see your own patterns on the screen, and we build a training plan around your headache pattern and your goals.
After that, the sessions themselves are simple. You relax in a chair while the feedback guides your brain toward steadier patterns. Most people find the sessions calming in their own right.
Is neurofeedback right for you?
Neurofeedback is not a replacement for your doctor or neurologist, and it is not a cure for migraine. It works best as one part of a headache plan, alongside the medical care, triggers, and habits you are already working with. Headaches often travel with poor sleep, stress, and tension, and they can linger after a concussion, so supporting those related patterns may be part of headache management too.
The honest answer is that results vary. Some people feel their headaches ease over the first several weeks of training, and for others it takes longer. The best way to find out is to start with a brain map and a conversation about your headache history.
Common questions
Can neurofeedback help with headaches or migraines?
Some of our clients tell us their headaches feel less frequent or less intense after training. Neurofeedback is a drug-free way to help an overexcitable nervous system practice calmer, steadier patterns. It is not a cure, the results vary from person to person, and it works best alongside your headache care, which is why we start with a brain map instead of making promises.
How does this work with my migraine medication or neurologist?
Alongside them, not instead of them. Neurofeedback is a non-drug approach that can sit next to the care from your doctor or neurologist. We will never tell you to stop a prescribed medication, and we are glad to coordinate with your providers.
Is neurofeedback FDA approved as a treatment for migraine?
No. The equipment used in neurofeedback is generally regulated for relaxation and general wellness, not as an FDA-approved treatment for migraine or headaches, and we do not present it as a cure. Think of it as a drug-free option some people use as one part of managing headaches, with results that vary.
How long before I notice a difference?
It depends on the person and on what the brain map shows. Some people notice their headaches easing within the first several weeks of training, and for others it takes longer. After your map and results review, we give you a realistic estimate for your situation.
Is neurofeedback safe?
It is non-invasive and painless. The sensors only read your brain's activity, the way a stethoscope listens to a heartbeat. Nothing is sent into your brain, there are no needles, and no medication is involved.
When is a headache an emergency or worth seeing a doctor?
Get emergency care for a sudden, severe headache that peaks within seconds, the worst of your life, a headache with fever and a stiff neck, or one that comes with confusion, fainting, weakness, numbness, trouble speaking, or vision changes, and for any bad headache after a head injury. A new or clearly changing headache pattern, especially in older adults, should be checked by a doctor. Neurofeedback is not the place to start for any of those.
Related
Ready to get ahead of the next headache?
Book a qEEG brain map and results review. We’ll show you exactly what’s going on, and build a drug-free plan to help.