Neurodiagnostic Week: The brain is the most complex and intricate organ in the human body, responsible for controlling our thoughts, emotions, movements, and senses. It is the epicenter of our being, where concepts like love, beauty, and fairness manifest in not entirely understood ways. You have your brain to thank if you’ve ever moved a finger. But this complexity also leads to disorder. The brain is vulnerable to various neurological disorders and diseases, which can significantly impact our quality of life.
Neurodiagnostic Week is about celebrating the medical professionals that help us understand our brains and, therefore, ourselves better. During the celebration, healthcare organizations and professionals across the United States and worldwide hold events and activities to raise awareness about the important work happening in this field.
One of the primary purposes of this celebration is to highlight the need for continued investment in research and the development of new techniques for treating neurological disorders. This investment is critical to improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden of neurological disorders on individuals and their families. Neurodiagnostic professionals are essential partners in this effort, providing the expertise and skills needed to conduct research studies and clinical trials and to apply the findings of this research in the care of patients.
At Integrative Healthcare Center, we celebrate our professionals at every opportunity. They are critical in delivering high-quality patient care and working with providers to ensure patients receive the most effective treatment. This article will explain the importance of Neurodiagnostic Week and how it became recognized.
1. History of Neurodiagnostic Medicine
The first recorded instance of neurodiagnostic medicine in the ancient world stems from ancient Egypt, where physicians and healers used various techniques to diagnose and treat neurological disorders. The Edwin Smith Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical text dating back to around 1600 BCE, contains descriptions of neurological disorders such as paralysis, tremors, and convulsions, as well as treatments such as massages and herbal remedies.
Similarly, ancient Greek physicians also recognized and studied neurological disorders, including epilepsy and paralysis. The physician Hippocrates, who lived in the 5th century BCE, wrote extensively about the causes and treatments of neurological disorders. His teachings influenced the development of medical knowledge and practice for centuries.
In the early 1900s, the introduction of the electroencephalogram (EEG) by German psychiatrist Hans Berger marked a significant breakthrough in diagnosing and treating neurological disorders. Berger discovered that the brain’s electrical activity could be measured and recorded by placing electrodes on the scalp, allowing physicians to detect abnormal brain activity associated with various neurological disorders.
EEG experts started the neurodiagnostic profession. They formed The American Electroencephalographic Society and, in 1984, sponsored their first National EEG Awareness Week. The 60s and 70s brought nerve conduction studies to measure electrical signals. The 80s and 90s brought magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), allowing professionals to see the brain in action. Today, the field continues improving at an ever-faster pace. This expansion of knowledge and methods turned National EEG Week into Neurodiagnostic Week.
2. Integrative Healthcare Center and Neurodiagnostic Approaches
At Integrative Healthcare Center, we believe holistic health is possible by integrating several aspects of wellness; it’s in our name! Not only do we offer traditional treatments like psychotherapy and medication-assisted treatment combined with complementary medicine like yoga and nutritional counseling, but innovative ways to approach your brain.
We offer Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy (TMS), a breakthrough in brain technology for treating depression and similar disorders. TMS, like an MRI, uses magnetic fields to activate parts of the brain that may be lagging. It has been proven effective at treating medication-resistant disorders, with most patients reporting complete remission, meaning their condition was gone. It is also non-intrusive, with sessions lasting less than half an hour. We pride ourselves in staying up to date with better therapies, and this neurodiagnostic approach allows us to impact people’s wellness positively.
If you are interested in how we can help you, call (855) 608-0002 or contact us on our website. Happy Neurodiagnostic Week!