A Fair Question
Here's the honest answer, side effects included.
The Short Answer
It isn’t side-effect free, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
Microcurrent neurofeedback reads your brainwaves and responds with a very small, very brief signal. It’s gentle by design: about 1.5 millivolts, according to a VA San Diego research study of the system, or roughly one-thousandth the voltage of an ordinary AA battery. That’s why most clients don’t feel anything during a session. Gentle is not a compromise here, it is the point: read why less is more in microcurrent neurofeedback for the biology behind it.
Some people do feel something afterward, and you deserve to know what that looks like before you ever sit down in the chair.
So here’s all of it.
After a Session
The Common Stuff
Some clients feel a little tired or unusually relaxed after a session. Think “post-massage,” not “hit by a truck.” It usually passes within a few hours.
The Less Common Stuff
A small number of people are more sensitive. Researchers who studied microcurrent neurofeedback in 2024 called this “negative reactivity” and described mild-to-moderate symptoms showing up within about a day:
Those researchers described these effects as rare and manageable. If one shows up for you, you’re not left to figure it out on your own.
How We Help You Through It
Tell us how you felt, and we help you navigate it. We talk through what happened, adjust your next session by shortening it or dialing it back, and keep adjusting from there based on how you respond.
And if something ever feels overwhelming, you don’t have to wait it out. Call or text us, even after hours or on a weekend, including Sundays, and we bring you in for a short reset session to help settle things down. For clients with a package, it’s free. We won’t leave you stranded.
Sensitive nervous systems get a lighter touch from the start, and nobody has to “push through” anything here.
Utah’s top-rated neurofeedback provider, three years running.
We think a big part of that is how we take care of people when things don’t go perfectly: the same way we’d want to be cared for if we were the one sitting in that chair. That means answering the phone after hours, adjusting instead of pushing through, and never leaving you to figure it out alone.
If something lasts longer than a day or two, or feels severe, call your doctor. Don't wait for your next appointment to mention it.
The Big Worry
It’s a reasonable thing to wonder when the whole idea involves your brain.
Here’s what we know. The research we’re aware of on microcurrent neurofeedback describes negative reactions as rare, and when they do show up, researchers describe them as fading quickly rather than lingering. Research on neurofeedback in general is more cautious: a 2008 paper in the Journal of Neurotherapy warned that neurofeedback applied carelessly can cause negative effects, and argued for real practice standards.
We agree with that paper. It’s exactly why sessions here are adjusted to you instead of run off a one-size-fits-all setting, and why we’d rather start too gentle than too strong.
We’d rather start too gentle than too strong.
Before You Start
Microcurrent neurofeedback isn’t a substitute for medical care, and it shouldn’t go around your doctor. Talk with your doctor before starting if any of these apply:
You take prescription medication. Some people find their needs shift over time. Keep your prescriber in the loop, and never change a dose on your own.
You have a seizure disorder.
You’re managing diabetes, a thyroid condition, blood pressure, or migraines.
You’re pregnant.
Your health is unstable right now for any reason.
None of these automatically rule you out. They just mean your doctor should be part of the conversation.
Straight Talk
Search this topic long enough and you’ll find people saying neurofeedback made things worse for them. We don’t dismiss that. Some of those experiences are real, and research shows poorly matched sessions can leave people feeling worse.
Worth knowing: most of that research, including the studies above, is about conventional neurofeedback, the older style where you actively train your brainwaves through a reward-based feedback loop. Microcurrent neurofeedback works differently. VA San Diego and UCSD researchers describe it as a passive process, a gentle electrical signal the brain responds to on its own, not something you’re actively training. We haven’t found reports describing that same severity specifically about microcurrent neurofeedback, and the one published study on it found negative reactions to be rare and resolved quickly.
What we can tell you is how we work:
And if it’s not a good fit for you, we’ll say so.
Common Questions
Still Have Questions?
Bring your health history and your questions to a free 30-minute consultation. We'll tell you honestly whether this looks like a good fit, and if it doesn't, we'll say so.
No pressure. No referral needed. Flexible scheduling including evenings and Saturdays.
Clear Mind Utah · 21 E. 100 N., American Fork, Utah 84003 · (385) 304-4434
Mon–Thu 10am–9pm · Fri 10am–5pm · Sat 10am–4pm · By appointment only
Where to go from here
For anyone who wants the full picture before deciding, including the parts most providers skip.
Individual experiences vary. This technique is offered as general self-care information and is not a substitute for medical or mental health treatment. Clear Mind Utah provides microcurrent neurofeedback as a wellness and nervous system support service. We do not diagnose, treat, or cure any medical or mental health condition. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact a qualified professional or call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
