Stroke Recovery

A New, Innovative Stroke Recovery Treatment is Now Available at the Brain Treatment Center

MeRT (Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy) is non-invasive and drug-free, combining sophisticated diagnostic testing with targeted electromagnetic stimulation to balance brain function. 

Stroke Recovery Can be a Long and Challenging Process. MeRT Treatment Can Help.

A stroke can be frightening. And depending on the severity, stroke recovery can be a long, frustrating, and often disheartening experience. We understand. And we know how important it is to do everything possible to help your brain heal and recover. 

To that end, the Brain Treatment Center Newport Beach offers a breakthrough treatment to improve brain communication and function. It’s called MeRT, or Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy. It can be highly effective in treating post-stroke symptoms, either alongside or after other stroke recovery therapies.

We tailor MeRT treatment to your unique brain situation. It uses comprehensive and sophisticated diagnostic testing and a precise program of targeted TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation).

MeRT is an emerging technology that aims to improve brain function and communication. The equipment used is FDA-cleared to treat Major Depressive Disorder and OCD and is used off-label to treat a wide variety of conditions.

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.

(949) 418-1108

Types of Stroke and How They Affect the Brain and Body

Many types of stroke exist, each with its own after-effects. These include:

• TIA (Transient Ischemic Stroke): Also referred to as a mini-stroke, where a temporary clot blocks blood flow to the brain. While a TIA doesn’t cause permanent damage, it may signal a future stroke which can be far more serious and damaging.
• Ischemic Stroke: The most common type of stroke — affecting 87% of patients — occurs when a clot obstructs a blood vessel and prevents oxygen from reaching the affected part of the brain.
• Hemorrhagic Stroke: This stroke is also called a “brain bleed” and occurs when blood vessels within the brain rupture and bleed into the surrounding tissues. The most common hemorrhagic stroke is an aneurysm (when a blood vessel bursts) caused by uncontrolled high blood pressure.

Other strokes include a Cryptogenic Stroke, where the cause is unknown, and a Brain Stem Stroke, which occurs in the brain’s stem instead of the brain itself. Each of these can be damaging and sometimes fatal.

Stroke After-Effects

A stroke can affect different areas of the body, depending on where it occurs in the brain. For example, if a stroke occurs on the left side of the brain, it affects the right side of the body and vice versa. The amount of damage caused by the stroke will determine the amount of rehabilitation needed, as well as how much permanent disability occurs. 

After-effects can include:

• Paralysis on the right or left side of the body
• Speech/language problems
• Vision problems
• Memory loss

Because the brain controls every function in the human body, a stroke can affect many areas, some of them permanently. And the time for recovery can take anywhere from weeks to years, depending on the stroke’s severity. However, therapy and rehabilitation can greatly help in recovery from stroke after-effects.

How MeRT Can Help with Stroke Recovery

When a person has a stroke, some brain cells are damaged, and some die. Following a stroke, the brain gets to work on recovering by repairing the cells that were damaged but didn’t die. At the same time, the brain cleans up and removes the dead brain cells. Once this repair and cleanup are completed, the brain works to restructure the damaged area by changing the connections in the brain. This is called neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity or brain plasticity.

This amazing ability of the brain to change and adapt is why MeRT treatment can be so helpful in stroke recovery. MeRT can help your brain do what it naturally wants to do, generating new pathways around the damaged area. In essence, MeRT can help your brain to heal itself.

MeRT is a cutting-edge treatment protocol that combines technologies of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS, an FDA-cleared therapy), quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG), and electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) to analyze and formulate treatments tailored for each person’s unique brain pattern. And MeRT is a highly effective and well-tolerated treatment for the after-effects of a stroke. 

The equipment used is FDA-cleared to treat Major Depressive Disorder and OCD and is used off0label to treat other neurological-related conditions, including Strokes.

The MeRT Process to Treat Stroke Symptoms

MeRT evolved from a technology called rTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation). However, rTMS is a more generalized approach because it can only target a single location in the brain with one frequency.

Studies have shown altered brain wave oscillations in patients suffering from conditions such as Major Depression Disorder (MDD), Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety, and more. The MeRT treatment protocol uses a magnetic field to balance and stimulate brain function.

Mert Treatment for Stroke Recovery: What to Expect

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.

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. 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 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 also 45 minutes. During this time, you will meet with Kayleigh Prowse, FNP, for your consultation. 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. 

Assessment Period

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. 

Continuing Treatment

Once the assessment period is complete, and we are seeing progress clinically and on the qEEG, we will schedule 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. We advise that to get the most out of your treatment — and for long-lasting results — you stay for an entire six weeks of treatment (which includes the assessment period).

The comparison between the initial and second qEEG/clinical evaluation will determine if you are responding. You should also start to experience changes in the way you are feeling during this time. Typically, MeRT treatment lasts anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks. However, we recommend additional treatment in some cases for optimal results. Each individual is different, and protocols may vary. Your provider will have regularly scheduled follow-up EEGs and meet with you to gauge your progress.

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 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. 

Additional Information

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.

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.

Contact Our New Patient Coordinator for Additional Information

It’s normal for patients and their families affected by brain disorders to feel alone, frustrated, and hopeless. Yet, there is hope. MeRT is a treatment protocol that has helped patients restore their brain function, reclaim their lives, and get a whole new lease on life.

We understand what you are going through. Our goal is to help guide you through the process so that you can make an informed decision about whether MeRT is the right treatment for you.

Many of our clinicians and technicians have gone through MeRT treatment and have experienced incredible results firsthand. As a result, they are passionate about helping you to heal, too.

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 help get you scheduled with the clinic should you decide to move forward with treatment.

Call Our New Patient Coordinator or fill in the form below

(949) 418-1108