Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment primarily used for treatment-resistant depression and as an adjunct therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder or major depressive disorder in adolescents.
Because of the treatment’s high effectiveness and low side-effect profile, there is a growing interest in TMS therapy to treat other mental health disorders. Researchers are currently investigating TMS treatment for other types of mental health conditions, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Call our highly skilled, full-service psychiatric providers today to learn how we could customize TMS therapy in Lakeway to your condition and how this treatment can help alleviate or eliminate your symptoms.
TMS uses electromagnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain that are associated with mood regulation. Past research has demonstrated that these areas of the brain are less active in people who are diagnosed with depression than in people without depression.
Imaging studies show that these areas of the brain are more active after a full treatment cycle of TMS therapy, and treatment vastly reduces or eliminates depressive symptoms. Your TMS therapy treatment cycle in Lakeway consists of five-minute sessions, five days a week, for approximately nine weeks.
A computer will monitor and manage electromagnetic stimulation according to your physiology. TMS therapy is an effective option if you have treatment-resistant depression, which means you have tried at least two antidepressant medications without receiving relief.
During your Lakeway TMS sessions, we administer electromagnetic pulses, which increase your brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity. Brain plasticity is the term that describes how your brain can reorganize nerve connections after external stimulation.
Brain plasticity is responsible for learning or repair after an injury or stroke. Electromagnetic stimulation is an external stimulus that triggers nerve cells to create different connections and increases activity within the brain. This repeated stimulation could improve your brain function over time and reduce symptoms of depression or other mood disorders.
TMS therapy offers many benefits for people living in Lakeway. It is an effective noninvasive therapy for treatment-resistant depression and is safe for many people. Research suggests it has uses beyond depression as a treatment for chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction.
Many patients report long-term symptom relief and better daily functioning after TMS sessions. While there are other treatment options, many of them require you to make lifestyle changes, which can be difficult when you are experiencing depressive symptoms.
If you decide to undergo TMS therapy, it could reduce or eliminate your symptoms so you could engage in further treatment options, such as good nutrition, adequate sleep, exercise, and talk therapy. TMS has minimal side effects, including mild headaches, scalp discomfort, and toothache. These side effects typically resolve quickly and usually do not occur after the first week of treatment.
TMS treatments may be suitable for adults in Lakeway with major depressive disorder that has not responded to medication. TMS can be used alone in adults and has been recently approved as an adjunct therapy alongside antidepressant medications for adolescents with major depressive disorder.
In clinical trials, TMS has also demonstrated promise as an adjunct therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders. TMS therapy may be a good approach for you if you are looking for a non-medication-based alternative to depression treatments or have had severe side effects from medications.
While TMS sessions have been effective and safe for many people, some individuals in Lakeway are not good candidates for these treatments. TMS uses electromagnetic stimulation, which can alter the function of a metal implant, so this treatment may not be right for you if you have a cochlear implant, pacemaker, or deep brain stimulator. You are also not a good candidate if you have tattoos on your head or neck that were done with ferromagnetic ink.
TMS is different from electroconvulsive therapy, which purposely triggers seizure activity. However, if you have a known seizure disorder or have a higher risk of seizure because you suffered a head injury or were diagnosed with a neurologically degenerative disorder, you are not a good candidate for TMS therapy.
Symptoms of treatment-resistant depression are frustrating and can be overwhelming. However, we want you to know that there is hope. TMS therapy can reduce or eliminate your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
We encourage you to reach out to our office today and schedule a consultation to learn more about TMS therapy in Lakeway. We will answer your questions about therapy and insurance coverage so you can make an informed treatment decision.
