Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Depression is a mental health condition that can alter the way you feel and think. It can stop you from functioning normally in your daily life. TMS is one of the more effective ways to treat medication-resistant depression.
TMS has been shown effective in situations when people have sought relief through self-help, counseling, and medication, but without success. If you have major depression symptoms that have defied other forms of therapy, Advanced Psychiatry Associates may be able to help.
This depression treatment method stimulates your brain without the side effects of antidepressant medication and it produces lasting effects. After we perform comprehensive medical and mental health evaluations, including testing at our on-site lab, we’ll diagnose the root cause of your symptoms and recommend a treatment plan. If you suffer from medication-resistant depression, your plan could include TMS.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment Services
At Advanced Psychiatry Associates, TMS is offered as a short, non-invasive outpatient treatment. This means you don't have to be hospitalized, and you don't need any sedation or anesthesia because it’s a relatively painless process. You’ll remain awake throughout your treatment. TMS treatment doesn’t affect any other area of your body and it doesn’t present the types of side effects that antidepressants trigger in some patients.
Once you’re scheduled to have TMS, you should expect to have 5 daily sessions in a week for about 6 weeks. The length of each session depends on the type of device used during treatment, but sessions typically last no longer than 30 to 40 minutes.
During your treatment, the psychiatrist will give you earplugs and then put a magnetic coil on your head. Then, the magnetic coil will deliver short pulses to the part of your brain that regulates mood.
As the pulses pass into your skull, they’ll stimulate nerve cells. You may hear some clicking sounds or feel a tingling sensation. Most people don't experience any pain, but you may feel a little discomfort on your scalp for a very short time after the procedure.
What Is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment is a safe and effective treatment that aids mood control. The magnetic pulses move without any pain into your brain cells to stimulate them and enhance communication between various parts of your brain.
The exact details about how TMS works are still not clear, but the stimulation has a profound effect on the way the brain works. That's why TMS treatment for depression and bipolar disorder helps relieve the symptoms and improve your mood.
When patients hear that magnetic pulses will flow through their brain, they tend to get a bit apprehensive. But there's nothing to fear. TMS treatment for mental illness like depression is approved by the FDA. The magnetic pulses that come from the TMS machine are the same type used in MRI machines utilized for image testing, and they’re safe. TMS doesn’t require any post-therapy recovery period, and it has no negative effect on your memory.
What Does TMS Treat?
At this time, transcranial magnetic stimulation has been approved by the FDA in the United States. However, the approval was to use TMS treatment for depression. That means if you have a major depressive disorder, you may be a candidate for TMS therapy. We also recommend it when other forms of therapy, including counseling and medication, have proven ineffective.
In Europe, TMS treatment is widely used for conditions such as bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease, anxiety disorders, nicotine addiction, stroke rehab, schizophrenia, and other illnesses. While treating anxiety with TMS and using magnetic therapy for stroke patients is approved in European countries, the FDA has yet to approve it for treating this condition in the U.S.
TMS Treatment in California
If you've tried different types of treatment options for depression without much success, don't give up. Call Advanced Psychiatry Associates to book an appointment today for professional mental health care. We offer TMS in our treatment centers for residents living in Northern and Southern California.
You can pay for your treatment with plans offered by major insurance providers, including HMOs, Medicare or workers' compensation plans. You may also pay cash. We offer services to anyone who is 14 years of age or older that struggles with a mental health disorder.
Get in touch with our mental health professionals now by live chat, by completing our contact form or by phone. We’re waiting to answer all your questions about TMS. Schedule an appointment to learn if this groundbreaking treatment can help you live a fulfilled life.