Initial
Analysis
Initial Testing and Analysis
The initial analysis for MeRT® begins with a quantitative electroencephalogram (q-EEG) and an electrocardiogram (EKG). Specifically, these non-invasive tests measure the frequencies of brainwaves, heart rate, and brain-heart coherence.
Following the testing, our scientific and clinical teams analyze the results to determine your current brain state and identify areas that may not be communicating optimally. Once those areas are identified, we use a patented approach to develop a customized treatment plan that encourages healthy brain communication.
What is an EEG?
The initial analysis begins with a qEEG. Often referred to as “brain mapping,” a qEEG is a diagnostic tool used in association with an EKG to measure electrical activity as brain wave patterns. These patterns help us identify important information about your overall brain function.
Because all brains are different, the process is a precise way to identify brain areas with electrical dysfunction related to either traumatic injury or neurodegenerative process. Essentially, the qEEG provides evidence of electrical abnormalities and network dysfunctions.
Below are various EEG Interpretive Images
Defict
These deficts may correspond to discruption in cognition and sensory processing, anxiety and development issues impairing communication and interaction.
Excess
This may correspond to general restlessness, difficulty focusing and attentional problems.
Focal Excess
This activity may correspond to interruptions of function in structures that have been traumatically damaged.
Frontal Love Excess
This activity may correspond with lack of motivation, emotional numbness and depressive tendencies.
Normal
excesses
What to Expect with MeRT Treatment
For the initial analysis, you will come in for a comprehensive testing appointment. We will gather your new patient paperwork and then our chief neuro technician will perform a qEEG and EKG, which will enable us to identify any dysfunction or communication problems in your brain.
While this appointment usually takes about 45 minutes, if you are seeking treatment for your child with autism, please plan on spending an hour with us. Then, after this appointment, should you decide to proceed with treatment, we will schedule your assessment period.
If you are not yet ready to commit to going through an assessment period of treatment or prefer to have your qEEG and consultation done to ensure you are a candidate for treatment, we also offer the option of coming in for a qEEG/EKG and consultation with our clinician to see your results before proceeding with the assessment period.
Your second appointment is 45 minutes long. During this time, you will meet with Nurse Practitioner Kayleigh Prowse for your clinical evaluation. She will answer any questions you may have and discuss your applicable treatment plan. Please note that Dr. Julie Kim, Medical Director, oversees all treatment for each patient.
Click through these simple 5-Steps in the horizontal menu below…
- Talk with our New Patient Coordinator
- Initial Analysis
- Assessment Period
- Full Treatment Program
- Final Testing
Our New Patient Coordinator is here to help
Call us and talk with our New Patient Coordinator. She will take the time to answer any questions you have as explain things. You can discuss your specific circumstances and she can explain how it all works.
This consultation is free of charge and there are no obligations to move forward with any further steps.
If you would like to take the next steps to see if you or your loved one may benefit from MeRT, she can schedule a qEEG (brain scan) and a consultation to discuss the results with our clinician.
Call (949) 868-0006
The qEEG and Consultation
If you are interested in seeing if MeRT treatment is right for you, we will initially schedule two appointments, both of which last about 45 minutes.
This simply involves a qEEG (quantitative EEG or brain scan), followed by a consultation with our clinician a few days later to see your results before making any decisions about treatment or proceeding with anything further.
For the initial analysis, you will come in for a comprehensive testing appointment. We will gather your new patient paperwork, and then our chief neuro technician will perform a qEEG and EKG to enable us to identify any dysfunction or communication problems in your brain.
Your second appointment usually runs about 45 minutes. During this time, you will meet with one of our clinicians, Kayleigh Prowse or Sheila Stephens, for your consultation. She will discuss your qEEG results, answer any questions you may have and discuss your applicable treatment plan. Dr. Julie Kim, our Medical Director, oversees all treatment for each patient.
Should you decide to proceed with treatment, we will schedule your assessment period.
Two Weeks of MeRT followed by new testing
The assessment period of treatment lasts two weeks. This assessment period will help you — and us — determine how you are responding to treatment.
You will have your initial qEEG/EKG and then attend treatment sessions for two weeks. The first week will be Monday through Friday, and the second week, Monday through Thursday, nine sessions in total, followed by a repeat qEEG to determine progress and note any changes occurring in your brain.
A typical treatment session takes about 45 minutes. You will sit in a chair while the neuro-technician administers the treatment near the scalp via a hand-held magnet. We deliver gentle magnetic impulses for six to eight seconds each minute. You may feel a slight sensation while the treatment is occurring, but it is not painful or uncomfortable.
Continuing Treatment
Once the assessment period is complete, we will schedule the subsequent two-week treatment periods. Because each treatment period lasts for two weeks, you must be able to stay in Newport Beach or the surrounding area for each 2-week treatment period.
The comparison between the initial and second qEEG/clinical evaluation will often show if you are responding. You may also start to experience changes in the way you are feeling during this time. For some, it takes longer before changes are more obvious. We highly advise a total of six to eight weeks of treatment (which includes the assessment period) for optimal and long-lasting results.
Since each brain is unique, the protocol will be different for each patient as it is based on specific qEEG/EKG data from your brain, and the specific condition being treated. Generally, the results of treatment can last a lifetime, though some people prefer occasional follow-up treatment as needed. But each person is different, and protocols may vary. Your provider will have regularly scheduled follow-up EEGs and meet with you to gauge your progress.
Review of Changes and Improvements
An additional qEEG is performed at the end of treatment to assess and take stock of the benefits and improvements that have occurred as a result of the full treatment protocol.
Please note that results and improvements are based on active and strict observation of our regimens. Results may vary based on the individual users and are not guaranteed. Plus, the results of therapy can vary per individual. In general, the longer the length of MeRT therapy, the longer the changes remain.
Are you dealing with numbness, pain, weakness, balance problems, or other stroke after-effects?
Call our New Patient Coordinator to learn more about MeRT Treatment for Stroke Recovery.
Insurance Coverage
Currently, rTMS is FDA-approved for Depression and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) Treatment for all other conditions is considered “off-label.” For non-FDA-approved treatment, it is not likely that insurance will provide reimbursement for our protocols.
Usually, when you go to the Care Credit website and apply, they will promptly let you know your approval status.
Contact Our New Patient
Coordinator for more Information
It’s normal for patients and their families affected by brain disorders to feel uncertain about treatment options and what is best. MeRT is a treatment protocol that has helped patients restore their brain function, reclaim their lives, and get a whole new lease on life.
Our goal is to help guide you through the process so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not MeRT is the right treatment for you or your child. Our clinicians and technicians are passionate about helping you to heal.
Our New Patient Coordinator is available to answer any questions that you may have about how MeRT can help you specifically. She’ll take the time to listen to your concerns and put your mind at ease. She can also assist in getting you scheduled with the clinic should you decide to move forward with treatment.
Call Our New Patient Coordinator to Learn More
(949) 418-1108
Or fill out the Contact Form below and we will contact you.
Contact Us
For more information or to book a Consultation.