The Real Pros and Cons of TMS Therapy - TMS & Brain Health

Although TMS isn't necessarily “side effect free,” its noninvasive approach makes TMS safe with minimal side effects that at times include minor ... Referrals BecomeAPartner ApplyForTreatment SelfAssessment (833)867-2329 HitentertosearchorESCtoclose depressionTMS-TranscranialMagneticStimulation TheRealProsandConsofTMSTherapy ByBenSpielbergAugust18,2020September23rd,2020NoComments Areyouthinkingaboutstarting TranscranialMagneticStimulation (TMS)therapy?You’reprobablyweighingtheprosandcons.Ontheonehand,becomingdepression-freewithoutdealingwithmedicationside-effects,refillsatthepharmacy,orpsychiatryvisitssoundsprettygood.Ontheotherhand,comingineverydaysoundslikeadrag.Hopefully,thisarticlewillhelpyoudecidewhetherornotTMSisrightforyou. TheCons #1. OfficeVisitsEveryDay.ThisisprobablythesinglemostannoyingpartaboutTMStherapy:theactualcourselength.Patientsmustcomeinfor5daysperweekfor6weeks,followedbyanoptional(butusuallyrecommended)6session“taper”consistingof3sessionsduringthe7th week,2sessionsonthe8th week,andjustonesessiononthe9th week.Whileitisnotaproblemtomissacoupledayshereandthere,itisrecommendedtotrytobeasconsistentaspossible.ThehoursofyourlocalTMScenternearyoumaydiffer,buttheTMS&BrainHealthofficesaregenerallyopenbetween8:00AM–8:00PMeveryweekday. #2. InsuranceCriteria.ThishaslesstodowiththeactualtreatmentandmoretodowithgettingyourinsurancecompanytoapproveyouforTMS.Eachinsurancecompanyhasdifferentcriteria,andmostinsurancecompanieschangetheirpoliciesthroughouteachyear.Forinstance,someinsurancecompaniesrequirethatapatienthastriedtwoantidepressantsinthepast,whileothercompaniesmayrequirethatapatienthastriedfourantidepressants,plustalktherapy.Ifyou’recuriouswhetherornotyourinsurancewillapproveyou,youcanalwaysfilloutour pre-approvalform andourpatientcarecoordinatorswillreachouttoletyouknowthelikelihoodofyourinsurancecoveringTMStherapy. #3. Discomfort.Theactualtreatmentisnotapleasantfeeling(althoughyou’dbesurprisedathowmanypeoplewe’veseenfallasleepduringTMS!),andmostpatientsdescribethesensationas“uncomfortablebuttolerable.”Eventhoughthedeviceisonlyemittingmagneticpulses,itmayfeellikeatappingorknockingsensationonthescalpduringstimulation.Dependingontheanglethatthepatientreclinesinthetreatmentchair,theymayfeeljaworeyebrowmovementduringthestimulation.Thesearenotpermanent,andsubside100%ofthetimeimmediatelyafterthesession. ThePros #1. HighSuccessRate.ThebestpartaboutTMSisthatit’satreatmentthatactuallyworks.Traditionalmedicationfordepressionhasfairlylowsuccessrates,especiallyifthefirstoneortwomedicationsdon’tprovideadequaterelief.ThousandsofstudieshaveshownthatTMShasa successrate ofatleast68%,comparedtojust37.5%formedication.However,themostrecentdataanalyzedfromthepatientsintheLosAngelesTMS&BrainHealthlocationhaveshownasuccessrateof92.5%,meaningthat92.5%ofpatientswhocompletedtheTMScoursehavebeenabletoatleastpartiallyrelievesignificantsymptoms. #2. Long-TermResults.TMSisdifferentthananyothermedicine-basedtreatmentbecausetheresultspersistlongafterthetreatmentisover.Thisisincontrasttomedications,where onemuststayonthemindefinitely orelsetheyriskbothrelapseanddiscontinuationsyndrome.ResearchshowsthatthebenefitsofTMSlastforatleast12monthsfor90%ofpeople. #3. Safety/BestSide-EffectProfile.TMSisanon-invasive,targetedtreatmentthatisstatisticallysaferthananyantidepressantmedication.Medicationsareingested,andthereforehavediffuseandsystemicreactionsthroughtheentirebody,whichleadstoawiderangeofside-effectslikeweightgain,fatigueanddrowsiness,nausea,sexualdysfunction,memoryloss,insomnia,andapathy.AlthoughTMSisn’tnecessarily“sideeffectfree,”itsnoninvasiveapproachmakesTMSsafewithminimalsideeffectsthatattimesincludeminorheadache,lightheadedness,andscalpdiscomfortduringstimulation.Theseeffectsareshort-livedandlastonlyafewminutesafterthesessionhasconcluded.Unlikeothertreatments,therehavebeennolong-termsideeffectsreportedafterhavingdoneTMS. #4. ThetaBurstStimulation.AdvancementsintechnologyhaveallowedfornewerTMSmachinestopulsethemagnetatdifferentfrequenciesthatthebraincanmorereadilyadaptto.OneofthesefrequenciesiscalledThetaBurstStimulation(TBS),or“ExpressTMS.”TBSisa3-minuteiterationthathasbeenshowntohaveequalefficacycomparedtoolder,longer(20-40minute)protocols.Additionally,TBSallowsformoreaffordableandaccessibletreatment,thuscreatinglessofastrainonone’sdailylife.Forinstance,patientscannowpopinforaquicktreatmentontheirlunchbreaks. #5. InsuranceCoverage.Whilethecriteriaforinsurancecoveragemaybestrictdependingontheparticularinsurer,TMScanattimesbe100%coveredbyinsurance.Ifyouarewonderingaboutyourparticularinsurance,youcanalwayscalltheofficeanytimeandaskustoverifyyourbenefitsforfree. #6. It’sNotECT! Althoughtreatmentslikeelectroconvulsivetherapy(ECT)haveshowntobeeffective,theimprovementsmadearetypicallyshorttermandtendtorequiremedicationtomaintainthebeneficialeffects.Patientshavereporteddifficultyrememberingand/orretainingnewinformation,withpost-treatmentsideeffectsthatincludeheadache,nausea,confusion,andmuscleaches.Patientshavealsoreportedlongtermmemoryloss,whichmaybereferencedtotheextremityoftheproceduralinducementofseizuresandgeneralanesthesia. So,WhatShouldYouDo? Whenconsideringthevarioustreatmentsfor depression,it’simportantthateachindividualdotheirownresearchanddecidewhichtreatmenttheyfeelmostcomfortablewith.WhenresearchingTMS,it’simportanttohighlightthatTMSis: Non-Systemic Non-Sedating Non-Invasive Non-Pharmacological FDACleared&Proven CoveredbyMostInsurancePlans *PaulBFitzgeraldandZafirisJDaskalakis,Theeffectsofrepetitivetranscranialmagneticstimulationinthetreatmentofdepression, ExpertReviewofMedicalDevices, 10.1586/erd.10.57, 8,1,(85-95),(2014). *MalekBajbouj,Eva-LottaBrakemeier,FlorianSchubert,UndineE.Lang,PeterNeu,ChristinaSchindowskiandHeidiDanker-Hopfe,Repetitivetranscranialmagneticstimulationofthedorsolateralprefrontalcortexandcorticalexcitabilityinpatientswithmajordepressivedisorder, ExperimentalNeurology, 10.1016/j.expneurol.2005.08.008, 196,2,(332-338),(2005). *ChrisBaeken,Anna-KatharineBrem,MartijnArns,AndreR.Brunoni,IgorFilipčić,AnaGanho-Ávila,BertholdLangguth,FrankPadberg,EmmanuelPoulet,FadyRachid,AlexanderT.Sack,Marie-AnneVanderhasseltandDjamilaBennabi,Repetitivetranscranialmagneticstimulationtreatmentfordepressivedisorders, CurrentOpinioninPsychiatry, 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000533, 32,5,(409-415),(2019). *EliasA.Khawam,GeorgiaLaurencic,DonaldA.MaloneJR, Sideeffectsofantidepressants:AnOverview, ClevelandJournalofMedicine,vol.73,4,(2006). FINDOUTIFOURTREATMENTPROGRAMSARERIGHTFORYOU LETUSHELPYOUTODAY! Name* First Last Email Phone*BesttimetocallWhichlocationareyouinterestedin?* LosAngeles SantaMonica LasVegas Sedona Whichservicesareyouinterestedin?* TMS Ketamine Neurofeedback Therapy Psychiatry IOP Zulresso Howdidyouhearaboutus?Message ShareTweetSharePin California: TMS&BrainHealthSantaMonica,CA TMS&BrainHealthLosAngeles,CA Nevada: TMS&BrainHealthLasVegas,NV Arizona: TMS&BrainHealthSedona,AZ ©2022TMS&BrainHealth. TMS&BrainHealthisnotahealthcareprovideranddoesnotrenderanypsychiatryorothermedicalservices,includingbutnotlimitedtoTMS,Ketamine,orNeurofeedback.IOPservicesarerenderedthroughaseparate,affiliatedentity.Rather,TMS&BrainHealthperformsadministrativeservicesforvariouspsychiatristsand/orpsychiatryand/ormedicalpractices.Further,thiswebsitedoesnotprovidemedicaladvice,diagnosis,ortreatment.Moreinformationcanbefoundatourdisclaimerpage. CallNow