Concussion or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

A Concussion or Traumatic Brain Injury Can Have Long-term Adverse Effects

Dr. Yim is a Board Certified Pediatric Neurologist. He also has decades of experience working with Concussions and TBI, especially in children.

Dr. Yim is also Board Certified in Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Neurology. He has a Special Qualification in Child Neurology. with decades of experience working with Concussion and TBI, especially in Children. Dr. Yim’s Board Certifications include Board Certified Pediatrician and also Board Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology.

You will receive the best possible treatment for your TBI or concussion here at Synapse. That includes an in-depth evaluation of the injury by Dr. Yim, using the most advanced technology for the treatment of concussion or TBI. After all, you or your child deserve the best in treatment for an injury that can be life-altering.

To that end, one of our primary treatments is MeRT, or Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy.  MeRT is non-invasive and drug-free, and can greatly assist in recovery from a Traumatic Brain Injury. A key part of MeRT is the testing: Dr. Yim uses a qEEG to pinpoint exactly where dysregulation is occurring in the brain.

The electroencephalogram—or “EEG” part of qEEG—means that the test looks at your brainwaves, and measures the brainwaves you have in comparison to normal brainwave activity. This data, therefore, displays a “map” of your brain. And by analyzing this brain map, we can identify where the brain waves are out of sync. We then use gentle magnetic fields to stimulate and restore brain function. In summary, MeRT treatment is painless, drug-free, and customized for your brain.

 

MeRT Approach

Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery

A concussion or TBI is a physical injury to the brain, and symptoms may be temporary or permanent. And while diagnosis is based on symptoms and incidents, it is confirmed by imaging (usually CT or MRI). However, as the brain begins to heal, the injury may no longer show up on CT or MRI.

Additionally, new research has shown that damage to the brain causes changes that can include altered activity of certain neural circuits. For that reason, if you have experienced a brain injury, your brain wave pattern can have markers that are visible in your qEEG study.

A TBI can occur from a blow to the head. They can also occur from blast injuries that military personnel may have experienced. Yet, even a mild head injury can cause symptoms that can affect the quality of life. if you have experienced more than one injury, symptoms can become more severe. Damage to the brain is cumulative.

Brain injuries can be complex and affect different aspects of a person’s quality of life. And patients suffering from a head injury may also experience post-concussion syndrome, which may include headaches, dizziness, and problems with concentration and memory

If you or a family member has suffered a traumatic brain injury, MeRT can help to restore function. That’s because MeRT works by using a gentle magnetic coil to modulate brain waves back into their correct pattern. Additionally, MeRT is sometimes used with other therapies, depending on the degree of injury.

We know how debilitating a TBI or concussion can be and understand what you may be going through. Dr. Yim and our staff at Synapse Hawaii are here to help you!

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as:

A blow to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. An injury can also occur without a direct blow to the head, such as in an auto accident where the forces cause the head to move violently in one direction and then snap back in another direction. This causes the brain to be jostled around inside the skull and can also injure the brain.

Suffering a closed head injury can produce symptoms that range from mild to severe, based on the degree of damage that was done to the brain. While it’s possible for a person to experience a TBI to not have a loss of consciousness, in moderate to severe cases, LOC does usually happen. More severe cases of traumatic brain injuries often can result in coma or even death.”

Causes of TBI include:

• Accidents

• Falls

• Sports activities (eg, sports-related concussions)

• Assaults

Symptoms of a Concussion or Traumatic Brain Injury

Some of the common symptoms can include (which can vary depending on the severity of the injury):

• Migraines or Headaches

• Loss of consciousness

• Extreme tiredness

• Mental confusion or disorientation

• Lightheadedness or dizziness

• Changes in vision and/or dilated pupils

• Amnesia or partial loss of memory

• Sleep disturbances

• Cognitive decline

• Inappropriate display of emotions

• Anxiety, irritability, depression, anger

• Panic attacks

• Withdrawal from interaction with others

• Feeling of isolation

• Tingling or numbness in different parts of the body

• Loss of function or weakness in other parts of the body

• Loss of bladder control

• Breathing problems

• Ringing in the ears

• Sensitivity to light

• Nausea or vomiting

A New, Highly Effective Approach

Treatment of Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury with MeRT

Those who have experienced a concussion or traumatic brain injury may continue to have after-effects long after the initial incident. And some may never fully recover. That’s why we are so proud to offer MeRT.

MeRT, which stands for Magnetic Resonance Therapy, is a form of TMS or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation that is highly individualized based on each patient’s imaging and symptoms. In simple terms, gentle magnetic waves are used to stimulate specifically targeted areas of the brain that have been found to not be functioning optimally.

To put it another way, MeRT can be used as a vital part of treatment to stimulate and help the brain to heal, improving brain communication and connectivity. In many cases, this has helped greatly improve recovery results. For more information, please read some of the RESEARCH STUDIES.

“The brain seems to be responding to these injuries in the same way…”

“What we’re finding is that the brain responds to insult the same way, whether it’s chronic sleep deprivation, whether it’s the mechanical injury of head-to-head contact repeatedly on a football field, or whether it’s being exposed to repeated blast injuries in the military or just direct contact with IEDs. The brain seems to be responding to these injuries the same way. …

“For so many years now, there’s been this feeling of helplessness that concussions are just a fact of life and there’s not a lot that we can do. I think we’re starting to get down to, at a foundational level, the root cause of mechanisms of injury, which will lead us down the pathway of finding solutions.”

– Dr. Erik Won, President of Wave Neuroscience, from his appearance on the Broken Brain podcast

Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Testimonials

After the concussion I just wasn’t myself. My academics began to suffer as well. I didn’t feel right.  My EEG showed that something had physically changed with how my brain functioned.  After three days of treatment, I felt substantially better.  After two weeks, I felt like I did before my injury.  MeRT was life changing.”

Everything changed when I started treatment. Within two weeks, I was sleeping better. I was off all of the meds I was on when I began treatment, and I was starting to enjoy life again.  After the first month, I was socializing with people again. I have a whole new lease on life. I can focus. Feel good about myself. Feel confident. I laugh again! Most importantly, I can feel the love for and from my family again.”

I’m back!  My TBI turned me into someone I barely recognized.  I was depressed, mean, and short-tempered.  Pushed through life filled with frustration and a deep sense of sadness that this was it.  I just had to keep pushing through life with an overwhelming tiredness.  I’m so glad I was wrong.  I think my family is even more thankful.  This treatment changed everything, and I am forever thankful.”

How to determine…

Is MeRT the Right Treatment for a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Reading this, you may be interested but uncertain if MeRT is the right treatment for you or your child. However, this is not something you need to decide on right away as there are many steps before making a much more informed decision.

The very first thing you can do is a simple phone consultation with our New Patient Coordinator. In this call, you can ask all the questions you want and discuss your symptoms and history. She can explain the protocols, fees, and details of treatment.

The next step is also very simple. We can set up two appointments. The first appointment would simply involve an EEG, which is a completely painless and non-invasive brain scan. This takes about 45 minutes. The second appointment, several days later, once we have the results of the EEG and these have been analyzed, would be a consultation with the doctor.

Meeting Dr. Yim

At this one-on-one consultation, the doctor will discuss the results of the imaging and diagnostics and what may or may not be treatable with MeRT. He will answer any additional questions that you may have, and together you can determine if MeRT would be a beneficial treatment and what that treatment would entail.

If you and the doctor then decided to move forward with MeRT, the first thing that is done is what we call the Assessment Period, where we will perform a short period of treatment, followed by a new EEG to see if you or your child are responding well to the treatment. This determination is assessed, based on the new EEG results, as compared to the initial testing done at the start of treatment, as well as any symptom improvements.

If there is a positive response to treatment during the assessment period, you will have most likely seen symptom improvements starting to take place, and we can then schedule for the additional treatment duration.

We are here for you…

Call our New Patient Coordinator

We understand that you may still have questions or concerns, so please feel free to call us and talk about what is happening. Our New Patient Coordinator is here to help, listen, and understand. When you call, she can explain the process and protocols, costs, possible insurance benefits, and any other details you want to know. And, of course, she will be happy to answer all your questions. There are no obligations, and she will take as much time with you as you need to determine whether you should take the next steps.

Call Our New Patient Coordinator to Learn More

(808) 754-1027

Or fill in the form below and she will contact you.

Insurance Coverage and Payment Options

At the end of your treatment, we can provide you with the appropriate paperwork to submit to your insurance company. They then can inform you if they can provide any reimbursement for treatment.

Currently, rTMS is FDA-cleared for Major Depressive Disorder and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.) Treatment for all other conditions is considered “off-label” at this time.

However, some patients have reported that they have been able to receive some insurance reimbursement for EEGs or clinical evaluations, depending on their health coverage. Medicare patients, on the other hand, have reported that their coverage provides no reimbursement. Additionally, it is highly unlikely that any insurance will provide reimbursement for the actual treatment of non-FDA-cleared treatment.

It is important to note that studies are currently underway, and we are hopeful that treatment for TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) will be FDA cleared at some point in the next couple of years.

Additionally, we take all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.