What is the Integrated Listening Systems (iLS)?
By stimulating specific areas of the brain, this system is able to rewire your nervous system based on the principles of neuroplasticity. It accesses the most primitive areas of your brain’s nervous system and help create coherent brain activity. Think of it as a way of eliminating excess noise in your brain that is confusing your autonomic nervous system and results in poor signaling and thus uses more energy and creates more confusion in your nervous system. It can assist in the following ways
- Sensory and Motor integration
- Concentration and Attention
- Reading and Auditory Processing
- Optimal Performance Training
- Calming
This is technology Physioactive uses in conjunction with many other tools and therapies to achieve great results.
We use iLS with neurological retraining exercises, such as balance, vestibular, eye, ear, coordination, sensory processing and more. Our successful clients include post-concussion syndrome, fibromyalgia, autonomic dysnomia, or any neuroinflammatory diseases. Our pediatric clients have resolved their toe walking. Other diagnoses include Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, traumatic brain injury, unexplained cognitive decline or brain fog. It can assist with learning disabilities, ADHD, balance disorders, and vestibular disorders.
At Physioactive, iLS is used as part of a comprehensive physiotherapy program. As a result, it can be covered by most extended health plans.
Your first appointment is typically with our clinical director, a physiotherapist and osteopathic practitioner, where a comprehensive functional neurology exam to determine a functional baseline of how your nervous system is working, it’s strengths and weakness, and we will recommend the ideal therapeutic program best suited for you to achieve optimal results. After this assessment, it is recommended that clients attend the clinic 5x per week for 30 days. For some more serious or chronic cases, this requires a second 30-day dose. 5-6 times per week frequency ensures better results as this is a neuro retraining program that requires frequent input. At minimum 3 x per week can also work, but the results tend to be slower.
First assessment with typically charged as a regular physiotherapy assessment in which the nature of your neurological system is tested. This may include eye, ear, balance, cognition, coordination, reflexes and more. The cost of the assessment is then deducted from the program cost.
How does it work and what does it improve?
Plasticity: the ability of the brain to change is known as to Nuro plasticity also called brain plasticity. It is your brain’s ability to re-organize itself by forming new neural connections. As an example, if one hemisphere of the brain is damaged, the intact hemisphere may take over some of its functions. In order to reconnect the neurons need to be stimulated through specific, repeated activity.
Ears and Eyes: the ears and eyes work together more than most people realize: the vestibular system in the inner ear canal sends signals to the neural structures that control arm movement. An example of this is when your eyes automatically move towards an unexpected sound also known as a vestibular ocular reflex.
We read with our eyes and ears. Reading requires ears and eyes to work together. As our eyes move from letter to letter and word to word our ear decodes each letter into sound. The vestibular system coordinates this action.
At school and sport, we combine ears + eyes + fine or gross motor + vestibular when in class and copying down what the teacher is saying and writing on the board. This is just one example of the reflexive, or automatic, sensory integration ability we use all day, every day. Playing sports integrates all of these systems as well.
Electrical stimulation: Sound waves entering the outer ear are transformed into electrical impulses in the inner ear and sent to the brain; those impulses are sent to the brain and help the coherence to the brain and influence our ability to focus and sustain attention. ADHD is thought to be a combination of hyperactivity and acuity in some areas of the brain, and a lack of stimulation to other areas. Poor coherence.
Relay Stations to the brain: The vestibular and cochlear systems, located in the inner ear, work together to relay sensory input to the brain. They play a key role in our ability to integrate our senses, and their successful interaction is essential for language development, sensory processing, and motor function. The specially filtered music with iLS improves the processing that occurs at these relay stations.
Automaticity: The cerebellum has long been known to control the rhythm and timing of movement. The vestibular system and cerebellum constantly interact to give expression to the rhythm and timing of complex movements. It plays a large role in making “everyday” tasks like riding a bike or spelling “Mommy” automatic. This fees the brain for more difficult learning tasks.
Movement + Filtered Music: Movement, through the interaction of the vestibular system and cerebellum, maximizes the consolidation and integration of gains achieved in auditory retraining.
Processing speed and immediate memory: are both important tools for sensory processing. If too slow we can miss vital pieces of information and can make learning more difficult and contribute to brain fog or learning. Those with poor short term memory find it difficult to piece together the whole meaning of a sentence or an instruction.
iLS in the news.
Watch more videos to learn about how iLS can heal:
Concussion – learn more about how we use iLS as part of our concussion program
Childhood developmental dysfunctions and Autism (ASD) and sensory issues – learn more
Balance
What are the benefits of iLS treatment?
This therapy works using sound waves and vibration to access the deepest relay centres in the brain. It can calm your nervous system, improve coherence (think about an orchestra playing together to make beautiful music instead of everyone playing their own instrument at any volume and all out of sync
How long does each treatment last?
Ideally 45-60 minutes. Because our iLS works on the principles of neuroplasticity longer sessions ideally 5-6 times per week has been shown to make the most effective improvements to your neurological system.
How many treatments will I need? How often?
Our programs vary slightly from 24 sessions to 60 sessions and are the most effective 5 to 6 treatments per week. Benefits from the program can continue to occur up to 6 months after completion of the program as the neurological systems continue to rewire and make new better connections.
Does the treatment hurt?
No! The treatments are comfortable and tolerated by everyone. It is just like listening to music on your headphones. Most people don’t even notice the vibration, but they do notice the improvements. Sometimes even dramatic changes can occur during the first treatment. We have had clients who can’t balance at all immediately improve. We have had toe walking children walk in on their toes and immediately walk normally with the iLS on. The treatments are comfortable and tolerated by everyone. Your therapist will adjust the settings to best suit each patient.
Will it hurt after the treatment? Are there side effects?
No! Your experienced therapist will adjust the settings appropriately to make sure your nervous system is not overstimulated. On rare occasions, a very sensitive client may feel fatigued or develop a headache. If this occurs you will work with your therapist to adjust the program accordingly. This may be doing less exercise, shortening the session, or reducing the vibration.
What should I do if I am tired following the treatment?
Your brain and nervous system have been exercised, so it is normal to get tired after a session of iLS at Physioactive. You will also be frequently doing physical and mental exercises while on the iLS device. This can result in fatigue. Just like any exercise please listen to your body and mind and rest appropriately. Eating well and staying hydrated an also help.
How fast does it work?
Some patients feel significant results during the first treatment. Some patients will not feel a difference until finishing their recommended course of care. The healing process is accumulative and therefore patients continue to have results weeks and months after ending their treatment.
What is the cost?
Your registered physiotherapist will assess your condition and determine whether the iLS is appropriate to be included in your rehabilitation program. The treatment is very effective but takes regularly repeated stimulation. To keep it affordable Physioactive offers this program at a fraction of the price of other facilities. We also use iLS as part of an overall rehabilitation program increasing its effectiveness. The program costs between $1500 and $2500 depending on which program is most appropriate for you. The treatments are provided by our Physiotherapists and will be covered by most extended health care plans that pay for Physiotherapy treatment.
FAQ
What are the benefits of iLS ?
The major benefits of iLS is a calm, coherent, well functioning nervous system ready for learning and neuromodulation.
What is iLS therapy?
iLS is essentially headphones with a bone conduction device. It uses filter frequencies of music and skull vibration to bring the brain into balance. Essentially when there is too much or too little activity in the brain we are unable to learn. iLS primes the brain and nervous system to be in a position to take in and integrate information making the concepts of neuroplasticity possible.
Is iLS therapy painful?
No. It is like listening to music on your over-ear headphones.
How long does iLS treatment take to work?
You may feel relief immediately. However, it is very patient dependent. Our clients continue to report gains up to 6 months after the cessation of treatment as the nervous system integrate and relearns.
How is iLS therapy good for?
We use our iLS with our post-concussive clients, but also use it in conditions that involve autonomic dysnomia. It can be included in our motor vehicle accident population. We have also had success with clumsy adolescence as well as toe walkers (immediate resolution of toe walking!).
Is iLS therapy safe for everyone?
Yes. iLS is can help anyone’s nervous system as long as a professional is accurately prescribing duration and intensity and watching the client for their response. If used to aggressively it can cause mild headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.
How often can you have iLS therapy?
Becuase iLS is designed to relax and modify your nervous system it requires 5-6 treatments per week for 3 weeks to get optimal results and permanent positive change. We have seen success with fewer visits but it usually is not as dramatic and takes longer.
Can you exercise with iLS therapy?
Yes, and you should. All the literature points to more successful outcomes when iLS is part of a physiotherapy program including balance, cognition, eye, vestibular and imagination. By activating different parts of the brain during the treatment we are able to re-wire the brain.
Is iLS therapy effective?
Most patients feel significantly better with iLS both immediately and after therapy. Our clients report improved balance, less pain, clearer thought, improved coordination, elimination of brain fog and more.
