Understanding TMS Therapy: A revolutionary approach to depression

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Fitness & Health

Published on Monday, 03 July 2023 10:05

Last Updated on 03 July 2023

Monica Costa

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Depression and anxiety are mental health challenges that so many people battle on a daily basis. Depression is a neuropsychiatric disorder that attracts a lot of attention in the world of medical science. Finding a way to combat the impact that this disorder has on people and helping patients to improve their mental health is a top research priority.

That is why there is a lot of excitement surrounding the use of TMS therapy for depression, especially when anti-depression medication doesn’t work for everyone.

What is TMS?

Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-medication treatment option that features cutting-edge technology in order to alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety

TMS works by using a pulsating magnetic field that has been designed to stimulate nerve cells in targeted areas of the brain that tend to be underactive as a result of a neuropsychiatric disorder such as depression.

TMS delivers what you might describe as a workout for your neurones. This help to strengthen nerve cell connections and stimulate the brain in a way that helps combat depression.

A key point to remember about TMS is that it offers a drug-free alternative treatment option for combatting depression.

 

Some TMS positives to consider

TMS therapy has been FDA-approved as a treatment for depression and anxiety. It is considered to be a safe treatment option with no known long-term side effects.

It is a non-invasive treatment that does not involve any surgical procedures to administer. You don’t even need to be sedated or anaesthetized during the treatment process

The procedure is described as non-systemic. This means that you can have TMS therapy without taking any drugs, either orally, or circulating in your bloodstream.

 

How it works

The fundamental principle behind TMS technology is to deliver magnetic pulses that are focused on the part of your brain region that requires stimulation to combat depression.

One of the key symptoms of depression is that your brain displays a unique pattern of abnormal activity that is either too high or too low in certain regions of your brain.

TMS is designed to adjust brain activity so that it returns to a more normal and healthier level. Depression impacts a region of your brain known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This is located in the frontal area of your brain on the left-hand side.

It has been discovered that someone suffering from depression suffers reduced activity in this area of the brain. Using high frequencies, TMS targets the left prefrontal cortex. This has the ability to reduce the symptoms of depression.

 

A viable alternative to medication

Taking anti-depressants has become such a regular habit for too many people with depression. The excitement about TMS is that it has been shown to offer positive benefits to patients who have not achieved the desired response to medication.

Tens of thousands of patients have already completed TMS therapy since the FDA approved the treatment back in 2008.

This revolutionary approach to combating depression is something to get excited about. It could help you to battle the impact of depression and improve your physical and mental health profile.