Transcranial Magnetic
Stimulation Therapy
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation – TMS Therapy
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy (TMS) is used to treat depression, anxiety, OCD, Addiction, chronic pain, and bipolar disorder. Fragile charged currents are induced in the tissue by quickly altering magnetic fields, which then triggers brain activity.
Occasionally medications are not effective so people are turning to TMS, a new non-invasive treatment. Certain anti-depressants and other medications are known to cause complications when taken for long periods of time. With TMS Therapy alone this complication does not exist.
This new and effective treatment is performed under the administration of a psychiatrist and fuels the prefrontal cortex portion of the brain, which controls mood. The limbic system, where cravings or desires such as alcohol and drug use stem from, is also controlled when using TMS therapy.
TMS therapy should be considered an option in adult patients with major depressive disorder when antidepressant medications and other forms of treatment fail. The FDA endorses Transcranial magnetic stimulation for patients who experience unsatisfactory results from previous antidepressant care.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation has shown a lot of promise so far, not only as a depression treatment but also as an alternative to prescription medications. TMS treatments are completely non-invasive and do not require anesthesia or sedatives.
How Does TMS Therapy Work?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy works by stimulating neurons in the prefrontal cortex. The stimulated neurons then communicate with deeper brain neurons to restore normal functioning and filters out to regions of the brain involved with mood. The illustration below shows a simplified version of how this works in the brain.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy sessions are performed in the physician’s office on an outpatient basis, five days a week for four to six weeks. New research shows that not only is TMS Therapy successful at treating depression without drugs, but long term effects show no remission after a one-year follow-up.
We’re extremely excited that research is starting to prove what we’ve known for quite some time. We’ve seen positive results with treating depression from the beginning, and it’s great to see even more validation from the scientific community.
TMS Therapy (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy) has shown to be very successful for overcoming treatment-resistant depression and addiction without prescription medications.
