The path into the field can look quite different for many of us. Most of us probably had a strong interest in Neuro and I would imagine all of us could name that one person that opened the door for them. Perhaps it was a teacher or mentor that first introduced the topic.  Maybe a family member was already in the field or possibly there was the experience of an EEG procedure ordered at one time. However, someone finds their way into this field they will find diverse and enriching opportunities for learning if they are open to looking. For those of us working in the field I know most ..read more

There is a category of waveforms that are only partially like the above quote. They are Strange!  But they are also Normal. This variant of waveforms are sometimes referred to as ‘benign’ but one thing is for sure - they are not cause for concern and bonus - they often make for an interesting EEG! Let’s review them here: Starting with my favorite: Lambda Are you a reader?  If so, you frequently produce these. These waveforms are positive Occipital waves.  They are bilaterally symmetric and we produce them when we are scanning something like reading a book. Fun ..read more

It’s Neurodiagnostic Week!  Seriously though….I think we need a whole month. I think this field is the Best Kept Secret in Healthcare! Just some quick fun facts as we celebrate Neurodiagnostics Week: 1924 – Calvin Coolidge was elected President, Jimmy Carter was born, the first Macy’s Day Parade was held…and Hans Berger, a German Psychiatrist inserted silver wires under his subject’s scalp (mostly used his children) and invented the EEG recording. He called it an Elektrenkephalogramm and first described the alpha rhythm showing how it suppresses when we open our eyes. 1 ..read more

As technologists often we are the first healthcare professional that the patient meets on their epilepsy treatment journey. The EEG combined with the New Patient Visit opens up the door to seizure management and all of the things that follow in their comprehensive evaluation. For many of our patients Genetic Testing plays a key role.  Ever wonder what that looks like for our patient’s and their families?  The hopes of this post is to introduce you to genetic testing and how it can benefit and/or guide their treatment. Epilepsy is one of the most common and diverse neurological co ..read more

There is no such thing as a perfect leader, and none of the Integris Neuro leaders came pre-assembled with the experience and knowledge they have now. The leadership team at Integris Neuro has had its share of challenges and failures, just like any other organization. However, what sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to growth and improvement. We have come to depend on each other and learn from both our successes and setbacks on our journey to becoming better leaders. This foundation of learning and sharing makes its way throughout all the teams at Integris Neuro, creating a better work ..read more

As an EEG Technologist you have to learn to troubleshoot to give the best monitoring possible. When you are in the hospital you may need to unplug the bed or IV pole. Maybe you have to take an electrode off, rescrub the spot, and put it back on. What do you do when you are watching patients remotely often times from several states away? This is when troubleshooting has limitations and we try everything in our power to resolve the issues through a knowledge base and sequential process of elimination. Being familiar with equipment A technologist's familiarity with the equipment and technology b ..read more

According to the Epilepsy Foundation and Brain Injury Association a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a well recognized cause of seizures and epilepsy. Per the Epilepsy Foundation: Seizures can occur early ( within the first week of the brain injury), or late ( more than a week after brain injury). Seizures which occur early after a traumatic brain injury are felt to be a symptom of the recent injury. Seizures which occur in the late period after TBI are more likely to recur and result in epilepsy. Early seizures in TBI Approximately 1 in 10 people (10%) will experience an early seizure after ..read more

In the dynamic environment of a hospital, diverse patient profiles often presented unique challenges for an EEG technologist. Among the most intriguing were encounters with special needs adults, individuals who not only tested technical skills but also demanded a level of adaptability and patience beyond the ordinary. There are three well-known types of challenging special needs adult EEG patients that an EEG technologist may encounter. The Unsettled Energizer Bunny Encountering a special needs adult bursting with curiosity and boundless energy is a common scenario in outpatient EEG rooms. The ..read more

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/969b89_c0397776495847c49fdc27e6ad7bf3e4/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 ..read more

In our field there has been so much controversy on how to treat non-epileptic seizures. Non-epileptic seizures can be defined as the body’s response to mental stressors. Many of these patients have been treated as having epilepsy and are given epilepsy medications. For patients with epilepsy these medications can be lifesaving but for someone who doesn’t have epilepsy, taking these medications can be harmful and damaging to their brains. This may cause them to feel fatigue and to be dizzy. The hospital where I was trained routinely dismissed these seizures. The doctors believed they did not ha ..read more