You, or even your doctor, might not have heard of some of the little known recovery techniques below.
Biofeedback, especially Skin Conductance, is a useful tool to indicate consciousness in people with coma-like symptoms. Skin conductance measures a person’s arousal level, conscious or not. Some biofeedback devices are available for the public to purchase. Hypnosis is also a useful tool to help the comatose person mentally repair his or her own non-working brain circuits. Some coma-specific hypnosis tools are available for the public to purchase or use. Hypnosis and biofeedback have the potential to work together.
Here is what you can do to help your comatose loved one:
Stop worrying and start helping. Your loved one’s health care team is doing their best. You can help too by considering the following steps. Learn about coma biofeedback and hypnosis. A good start is the information below. Discuss these techniques with your loved one’s health care professional. Ask them what they think. Evaluate the risks and benefits. Ask for their cooperation in trying these techniques. Decide what to do next. Make an action plan with the person’s health care team, involving yourself, if you want. You probably have more time and insight in working with the person in a coma. The action plan should have goals, progress measurement, timeline, etc. Participate in your loved one’s recovery as much as you can or want to. You can make your visits more productive and rewarding. You can be an extra set of eyes, ears, and hands for the health care team. You can watch for and encourage arousal from the comatose person. Find others who might be doing the same thing. Give and receive support in your ongoing efforts. If you cannot accomplish what you want, seek help. Share your results for others to benefit. Maybe your work can help others in related fields, such as stroke recovery. Hope for the best and work toward it.
Your gumption might very well help your person. At least, at some level, your loved one might just see how much want them to recover. You are willing to work at it, so they will do their best too.
You or others might not understand how or why it is working, and that is okay. Let the professionals figure it out later.
Takeaways –
Recovery is possible from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Coma. Hypnosis and/or biofeedback have helped some coma patients. You can help your loved one recover from coma.
References –
Coma – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coma
Skin conductance – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_conductance#Uses
Alternative medicine: the definitive guide By Larry Trivieri et al. – see UNUSUAL SUCCESS STORIES: BIOFEEDBACK AND COMA
Emotional electrodermal response in coma and other low-responsive patients by Daltrozzo J et al. – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20346390
Biofeedback in coma rehabilitation: Case study – Frazier, Lawrence M. – http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1981-30872-001
Self-hypnosis – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self_hypnosis
Coma : Awakening Loved Ones with Hypnosis [Audio Cassette] by Iris K. Barratt
Hypnosis in therapy By Hamilton Bertie Gibson, Michael Heap – See section on Neurological Disorders
THOUGHT PATTERN MANAGEMENT™ INSTRUCTING THE INNER MIND FOR NEUROLOGICAL CHANGE OR REPAIR ©BY ROBERT W. FLETCHER – http://www.amazinglifeinstitute.org/articles/tpmanchorpointarticle.pdf
Hypnotic imagery and suggestion as an adjunctive treatment in a case of coma by Johnson GM – The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis [Am J Clin Hypn] 1987 Apr; Vol. 29 (4), pp. 255-9
Some Biofeedback Tools available to the public –
GSR2 home biofeedback unit – http://www.thoughttechnology.com/gsr.htm
CalmLink Biofeedback Software – http://www.calmlink.com/
Disclaimer – Article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.