TMS Therapy: What Are The Frequently Ask Questions About This Treatment

A lot of people are suffering from depression today and some of them are undiagnosed as they don’t consider this disorder as a major one to be alarmed with. But since more and more cases are turning deadly, some people lean to effective treatments to help them somehow overcome the symptoms. Luckily, there is TMS therapy discovered that can even get rid of all the symptoms completely.

To know more about this therapy, here are the common questions with answers that you might want to read on.

What is repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a treatment for a wide range of mental health conditions, such as depression, OCD, anxiety, and so forth. The rTMS treatment machine emits high-frequency magnetic pulses to the area of the brain known to cause the condition. The treatment stimulates the brain and causes ‘neuroplasticity’ — which is the brain’s ability to mend and build connections between the nerve cells. In the case of depression, for example, the left side of the prefrontal cortex is stimulated, restoring the connections to help it work as it should, without the symptoms of depression.

Why should I undergo TMS therapy?

There are times that therapy and medication may not help with treating depression. In these situations, the patient and their mental health professional may decide to try rTMS treatment as an alternative. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation uses electromagnetic waves to stimulate certain areas of the patient’s brain. This type of therapy can seem intimidating to those unfamiliar with it. They may confuse it with electroconvulsive therapy, which can have significant side effects, including memory loss. It is important to understand that it is a non-invasive procedure with few side effects. It is also only used in cases where no other intervention has worked.

When did doctors start using TMS?

TMS treatment was first introduced in the 1980s. This research centred on which areas of the brain controlled certain functions and which areas might be not functioning correctly in mood disorders such as depression. Specialists studied TMS and its effects for many years before it was available for use with the general public. It was finally approved for use by the FDA in 2008 and is now a standard treatment used successfully around the country.

Can TMS treat anything else?

Today, TMS treatment is utilised primarily for patients with depression who do not respond to other courses of treatments. There is research underway, however, to see whether TMS can work effectively on other disorders, including ADHD, schizophrenia, and OCD, to name a few.

How efficient is TMS?

Over 3,500 papers have been published speaking to the efficacy of TMS. One of those states that TMS therapy helped patients who had treatment-resistant depression. They saw a 58 per cent positive response rate and a 37 per cent remissions rate. Another trial in 2010 showed that TMS led to a 14 per cent remission rate compared to 5 per cent without it. A second phase of the trial allowed all patients to receive proper TMS and, astonishingly, remission rates rose to almost 30 per cent. Of the patients who’ve claimed improvement from TMS, most state the benefits are still there three years later. TMS has a rich history of success and an abundance of evidence to prove it.

Are TMS and dTMS the same treatment?

TMS and dTMS are quite similar but the TMS therapy is more commonly used. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation uses a magnet referred to by professionals as a ‘figure of eight coil’. This coil emits repetitive magnetic pulses to the specific area of the brain known to cause the condition being treated. In comparison, deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or dTMS, uses an ‘H-coil’, which looks like a helmet. The magnetic pulses are emitted on a much larger area of the brain as it’s much less focused than TMS.

These are just some of the many common questions that people often ask about TMS therapy since this is just rising to the medical field as an alternative medication for depression. Now that you have read all about it, you are probably more aware of how it works, its effects, and so forth. There’s no doubt that this treatment can truly benefit you so make sure to give it some careful thought. Once you’ve decided to go for it, do so from a reliable clinic. This would guarantee you safe and professional procedure carried out by qualified doctors.