Understanding Tms Therapy

By Author: Jason Pace
Total Articles: 58
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Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy has recently become a popular form of treatment for those with depression, who may not have responded to traditional antidepressant medications. But what exactly is TMS therapy? What are the benefits of TMS therapy? And how does it work? Keep reading to find answer for all of these questions.

What Is TMS Therapy?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive procedure that stimulates nerve cells in specific areas of your brain. When nerve cells are activated, they release chemicals called neurotransmitters. The pattern of released neurotransmitters affects how we think, feel and behave, and determines how we respond to certain stimuli in our environment. The primary goal of tms treatment is to activate nerve cells in areas of your brain where depression takes hold.

How Does TMS Work?

Tms therapy relies on an external magnetic field to induce a small electric current in your brain. The current then passes through nerve cells and increases or decreases their activity. TMS therapy uses magnetic fields that are capable of activating or deactivating ...
... nerve cells when activated, without damaging them.

Can I Have Both Medication and TMS?

Yes, you can have both. Though they’re two different treatments for depression, they don’t interfere with each other. Often when people are choosing a depression treatment option, they tend to feel like there is an all-or-nothing choice between medications and TMS therapy.

Who Is A Good Candidate For This Treatment?

The most important factor for a person to undergo any type of TMS therapy is that they have had, or still have, a major depressive episode. Beyond that, some factors may influence whether or not a patient is qualified to use Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a treatment option. Speak to your TMS specialist.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation has a number of advantages over more traditional depression treatment methods. Those who have used it in clinical trials report that it’s an easy and painless way to get over depression—and they even say that they feel better almost immediately after they start using it.

Depression is common. More than 264 million people of all ages around the world suffer from depression.