The Benefits of TMS Therapy for Depression

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a Food and Drug Administration-approved therapy technique that can help treat depression and other mood disorders. Read on to learn more about this treatment.

When antidepressants have failed to improve symptoms of depression, TMS therapy may help. After finishing transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment, almost half of persons who did not have decreased symptoms after taking antidepressants report having fewer or no symptoms at all.

The advantages of TMS therapy in the treatment of depression

TMS treatment works by transmitting magnetic waves into a patient's prefrontal cortex, which is the region of the brain that regulates mood. Repetitive TMS, or rTMS, is the process of transmitting these pulses at regular intervals.

When antidepressants have shown to be ineffective or hazardous to the patient's health, a psychiatrist might recommend TMS treatments. Before attempting TMS treatment, many insurance companies require patients to have tried at least four different antidepressants with no results.

TMS therapy may be used in conjunction with antidepressants and other therapies like psychotherapy to provide patients with a more effective and well-rounded treatment plan. The following are some of the advantages of TMS treatment over alternative approaches for treating depression:

A safe method

Antidepressants can have several adverse effects, including sleeplessness and weight loss or weight gain, and some individuals experience these side effects more severely than others. Other brain stimulation methods, such as electroconvulsive treatment (ECT), can have substantial side effects such as convulsions and memory loss.

TMS treatment may be a better option for some than antidepressants and ECT since it has minimal side effects. TMS therapy does not require any anesthetics or sedatives, unlike ECT, which requires general anesthesia for sessions. Sedation is not needed because the procedure is painless.

After therapy sessions, patients are usually allowed to drive themselves and resume their normal activities. The typical individual receives roughly five sessions each week for a total of seven weeks. At that time, their symptoms should be greatly reduced.

Provides a lasting solution for depression

TMS is a successful therapy for depression, and most patients only need one treatment course to overcome their depression. After receiving TMS treatment, patients are encouraged to come in for a checkup every six months so that the psychiatrist can monitor their status. For many patients, the benefits of TMS treatments continue for years, and more rounds of therapy may be conducted in the future if necessary.

It can prevent the need for medications

For some patients, TMS may be a desirable alternative to antidepressants, which are sometimes known to cause drug dependence. For many patients, TMS therapy coupled with psychotherapy gives significant improvement for depression symptoms.

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Ready to get help with your depression?

If you or a loved one is struggling with symptoms of depression, you should consider visiting a psychiatrist for a mental evaluation. The mental health professional will recommend the appropriate treatment, which might include TMS. Contact our office to book an appointment to learn more about how depression treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation works.

Request an appointment or call NYC Psychiatric Associates at 917-391-0076 for an appointment in our New York office.