The prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain that regulates mood, is the target of TMS therapy for depression. Repetitive TMS (rTMS) is the term for transmitting these pulses repeatedly at regular intervals. When antidepressants have proven unsuccessful or harmful to the patient’s health, TMS treatments for depression are frequently advised.
How does TMS function?
TMS activates neurons in the brain by sending a brief electrical pulse there via a magnetic field (nerve cells). It has been demonstrated that this enhances communication across various brain regions, particularly in the cerebral cortex’s superficial regions.
TMS includes repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). The pulses are quickly repeated one after another while treating neuropsychiatric diseases like depression, giving rTMS its moniker. When discussing TMS therapy, you will hear both words used.
To provide patients with a more efficient and comprehensive treatment plan, TMS therapy can be paired with antidepressants and other treatments like psychotherapy.
The advantages of TMS over alternative methods for treating depression include:
1. A safer method
Some people experience the negative effects of antidepressants more severely than others, such as sleeplessness and appetite loss. Aside from convulsions and memory loss, electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) is another method of stimulating the brain.
Antidepressants and ECT are riskier treatments than TMS therapy, which often has few adverse effects. TMS therapy does not involve the administration of any anesthetics or sedatives, in contrast to ECT, which necessitates that patients be put under general anesthesia for sessions. Since the procedure involves no pain, patients don’t need to be sedated.
After receiving therapy, patients are usually free to drive themselves and resume their regular activities. For the course of seven weeks, the typical patient receives roughly five treatments per week. At that point, their symptoms need to be greatly lessened.
2. Outstanding long-term treatment for depression
Most patients take only one session of TMS therapy to put their depression behind them, making it an effective treatment for the condition. After receiving TMS therapy, patients are recommended to visit the office for a checkup every six months so their status may be monitored. For many patients, the effects of TMS treatment last for years and other rounds of treatment may be necessary in the future.
3. Capable of reducing the requirement for medicines
The use of antidepressants, which can result in pharmacological dependency, can be avoided by treating depression with TMS. Most people can overcome their depression completely with TMS therapy and psychotherapy.
4. TMS doesn’t have any severe negative effects
There are no severe or long-lasting side effects with TMS, in contrast to the conventional medication therapies for depression and anxiety disorders. Numerous side effects of antidepressants include nausea, weight gain, fatigue, sleepiness, sleeplessness, sexual dysfunction, memory loss, and apathy.
Conclusion
The key advantages of TMS are that it is efficient, non-invasive, secure, and drug-free. This also significantly lowers the possibility of side effects, substantially reducing TMS side effects to sporadic headaches and soreness in the scalp. TMS technology is not as readily accessible as other types of depression treatment, therefore most people who want to use it must rely on their insurance company’s TMS guidelines.
When medicine and talk therapy are ineffective, TMS, if it is available, is a good option for treating depression that is resistant to treatment. New treatment methods are also being investigated because it is an emerging technology, which could cut down on expenses and length of therapy.
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