There are studies showing that it works, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have to take medication. Dr. Richard Sogn answers this reader’s question.
The opinions expressed herein are the guest’s alone and have not been reviewed by a WebMD physician. If you have a question about your health, you should consult your personal physician. This event is meant for informational purposes only.
Question: I’ve been having trouble with my ADHD medications and my grades are suffering. Biofeedback worked for my father, who also has ADHD. Should I try it?
Answer: There is some scientific evidence that neurofeedback is effective for the treatment of ADHD.
Significant research on neurofeedback as a treatment for ADHD is occurring at Duke and other universities.
However, as in your father’s experience, it often takes 20 sessions or so to be effective and is often not covered by insurance. Even when treatment is successful, not everyone can stop taking medications, but often the dose of medications can be reduced. Many people also need to continue with less frequent maintenance treatments for continued effectiveness.
Since your father has responded well and since you’ve had difficulty with medications, a trial of neurofeedback treatment is reasonable.
Dr. Richard Sogn, is trained in psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. His interests are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and related disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette’s syndrome. WebMD content is provided to MSNBC by the editorial staff of WebMD. The MSNBC editorial staff does not participate in the creation of WebMD content and is not responsible for WebMD content. Remember that editorial content is never a substitute for a visit to a health care professional.