Depression is common, and while many adults suffer from it, only a fraction get treatment. Of those who get treatment, not everyone improves with psychotherapy or medications. Many people have side effects to medication or don’t respond well to psychotherapy. There are many benefits of TMS therapy. At a mental health treatment center in FL, residents can have access to TMS therapy and other depression treatment options.
TMS therapy (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) stimulates the nerve cells in a particular part of the brain with highly focused magnetic field pulses. There is a link between depression and abnormal brain cells. TMS is a non-invasive, localized treatment. It uses a device that delivers quick localized and pulsating magnetic fields that turn on a subset of the nerve cells in the front of the brain. When it is administered, patients are awake and comfortable. Doctors apply a treatment coil to the head, and the system generates highly concentrated pulses.
Pros of TMS Therapy
There are many benefits of TMS Therapy, which include:
- No need for anesthesia
- Non-invasive
- Easy tolerance
- No significant memory impairment
- FDA approved
Medications and forms of depression treatment can cause side effects. TMS isn’t associated with common side effects, such as memory loss, sleepiness, sexual problems, and weight gain. Since it’s a non-invasive procedure, it doesn’t involve sedation or surgery of any kind. Different depression treatments require sedation, such as deep brain stimulation.
TMS therapy helps treat depression, but there is evidence that the procedure can also be effective in the treatment of different brain disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety, and cogitative impairments.
Cons of TMS Therapy
Although there are many benefits of TMS therapy, it helps to be aware of some of the disadvantages. There can be twitching during treatment and skin redness from where the coils were. Mild discomfort is possible, but this dissipates by the end of the first treatment. Some patients may have a headache after the treatment. There is a certain amount of time required for treatment, and clients usually need to have 30 treatments over a period of 6 weeks. Some may also find the process for getting insurance to cover TMS treatment to be overwhelming.
What Happens During Treatment?
Before treatment, you will recline comfortably in the chair, and a small curved magnetic coil is placed on your head. During treatment, you get magnetic stimulation directed at certain target areas of your brain. You may hear a clicking sound and feel a tapping sensation. During the first treatment, the doctor will determine the amount of magnetic energy needed. He or she will increase the magnetic dose until the hands or fingers twitch. This is the motor threshold and it’s used as a reference point in determining the correct dose. This amount might change depending on the side effects and symptoms. After treatment, you are able to resume all normal activities without a rest period. The procedure will last about 40 minutes, during which you are awake. You can feel some discomfort during the treatment and for a short time after. Since there is no effect on memory or alertness, you are able to drive yourself to and from treatment.
After completion of a treatment series, standard care for depression, such as psychotherapy and medication, can be recommended as part of an ongoing treatment plan. It’s not yet known if maintenance sessions improve depression symptoms. If your depression improves with treatment and then later you have an episode or experience symptoms, treatment can be repeated. This is called a re-induction. If symptoms improve with treatment, be sure to discuss maintenance and ongoing treatment options for depression.
Are the Benefits of TMS Therapy Right for You?
The benefits received from TMS could make the treatment advantageous for you if you have depression and haven’t seen improvements from any prior medication, or if you have had side effects with those medications. If you are searching for a drug-free solution for your depression and want the safety of something that the FDA has cleared, TMS could be right for you.
For depression treatment options, including TMS therapy, going to a quality rehab is crucial. Contact us at 866.796.4720 to learn more about your options for recovery.
