TMS becomes a treatment option when all other treatments fail to relieve you from depression. Depression often results in disturbing symptoms that lead to reduced brain activity which may deteriorate if you do not seek psychiatric & mental health specialist North Chelmsford to help you. TMS uses impulses to trigger your mood and reduce negative thinking associated with depression. You will likely experience elevated moods and improved symptoms from your depression and can go back to doing your regular activities.
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Who Needs Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?
Your doctor may recommend TMS treatment if you have depression symptoms that do not go away with conservative treatments like therapy and other forms of medication. TMS uses electrical impulses through magnetic fields to improve your symptoms by stimulating the brain’s nerve cells. You may need repetitive sessions of these magnetic pulses, giving it the name repetitive TMS.
Are There Risks to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?
Since the treatment does not require surgery, you will have no major risks from the procedure. However, you may experience minor side effects, including headaches, tingling sensations in your facial muscles, spasms, scalp discomfort, and lightheadedness. Your doctor may prescribe OTC medications before treatment to reduce these symptoms and adjust stimulation levels. Rarely will you experience symptoms like seizures, mania, and hearing loss.
How Do You Prepare for TMS Procedure?
Your doctor will perform a physical examination through lab tests and psychiatric evaluation to check for your symptoms. The tests aim to confirm if you are eligible for TMS treatment. You can inform your doctor about current medical conditions, prescriptions, and your goal of getting pregnant one day. However, you may not be eligible for TMS if you have stents, deep brain stimulators, electrodes that monitor your brain activity, magnetic implants, and implanted electrical devices. Additionally, you can inform your doctor about past seizures, severe headaches, brain damage, and previous TMS treatment.
What Can You Expect During TMS Treatment?
During your first visit, your doctor will find the correct place to put the magnet and the correct magnetic energy dosage on your head. You will sit in a reclining seat and have earplugs on to keep you calm throughout treatment. Your doctor then places an electromagnetic coil on your head and switches it on and off to give you stimulation impulses. You will likely feel a tapping sensation and clicking sounds that may last for a few seconds. Your doctor will keep adjusting the stimulation symptoms depending on your depression symptoms. Each session will follow the same procedure except that the sessions after the first may likely take up to 40 minutes rather than one hour in the first visit. You may return to your routine activities after treatment.
Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, LLC can offer you TMS treatments to relieve your symptoms of depression and offer you a chance at a peaceful life. The treatment has proven effective in relieving symptoms, especially if conservative treatments fail. Your doctor will diagnose comprehensively before setting up a working treatment plan. You can also visit the website to make your online appointment.