When we talk about caring for older people, we are talking about having an approach to care that considers many important things. This includes not only how healthy they are at the moment and what has happened in their life. medical historybut also how they have lived their livesthe things they have learned and how they have been influenced by the different medical conditions they may have.
To make it easier to understand, imagine that it is like a jigsaw puzzle in which all the pieces are connected. If someone has medical problems, these problems may be related to how they have lived and what they have experienced in their life. That's why it's important to look at everything carefully. And with that information, experts can create special treatment plans that are tailored to each person, taking into account everything that makes them unique.
In addition, fundamental elements such as the intrinsic needs of the person, his or her motivations and expectations must be incorporated. The latter relate not only to the patient him/herself, but also to his/her close environment, including family, caregivers, peers and health care personnel.
Integration of Non-Invasive Neuromodulation in Treatment
Here comes an exciting idea. Let's imagine that we can use electricity in a special way to care for the elderly and help them feel better. When we talk about non-invasive neuromodulation with the NESA technologyWhat we want to do is to use that electricity in a very careful and gentle way to improve how they feel.
In the end it's like give the neurons in your body a little boost to make them work better. It is like doing exercises for the brain and the body at the same time. The best thing about this technique is that it can be complemented with other treatments already in use. It can be used in different ways: as part of a physiotherapist's therapy or even with therapeutic exercise.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of non-invasive electrical neuromodulation on various aspects of wellbeing in the elderly. A notable example is its influence on heart rate variability, as well as on the regulation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension.
Pineal Neuromodulation and its Beneficial Effects
Pineal neuromodulation is treated as if we had some kind of magic switch in the brain. By gently flipping this switch, we affect a special part of the brain called the pineal gland. This gland has the ability to produce two important substances: melatonin and N-acetylserotonin. Both of these substances have special powers that influence our quality of sleep, mood and how our brains work in general. They are very important substances for the care of the elderly.
Melatonin and N-acetylserotonin: Regulation of Sleep and Brain Function
Another relevant discovery relates to the stimulation of the pineal gland to assist in regulating sleep. Sleep is very important for everyone, but especially for older people. Substances called Melatonin and N-acetylserotonin, which the body produces naturally, are made more active by this special electricity.
Melatonin and N-acetylserotonin are two compounds related to sleep regulation and brain function. Melatonin is like a magic hormone that our body creates when it is dark outside. It is like the switch that turns our internal clock on and off. This clock controls when we are awake and when we are asleep. This hormone also has therapeutic powers, such as helping us sleep better and looking after our health.
N-acetylserotonin is a metabolite of serotonin, an neurotransmitter involved in mood and brain function. N-acetylserotonin also has effects on neurogenesis, the process of forming new brain cells.
During this presentation just mentioned (NESA EVENT 2023), we talked about one of the most important problems in caring for the elderly: cognitive decline. This is sometimes accompanied by feelings of sadness, memory problems and even confusion after surgery in older people. We also looked at how neuromodulation is showing promising results in addressing these issues.
Dr. Aníbal Báez-Suárez
Physiotherapist, PhD in health research and specialist in non-invasive neuromodulation NESA.
