For patients who struggle with mental health, standard treatments such as medication or therapy may not provide the relief they need. At Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare, we understand this frustration all too well. Many of our patients in Minneapolis come to us feeling disheartened by the lack of progress they experience with traditional treatment methods. They visit our specialists because they need a more effective solution tailored to their needs. If this sounds like you, you may have been advised to explore alternative brain-stimulating treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) by your healthcare provider. But how exactly do these treatments work, and which is right for you?
To help you learn more about these treatments and discover if one of these therapies may be right for you, we will cover what ECT and TMS are, the benefits and disadvantages of each treatment, and why one may be right for you. At Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare, we aim to empower you with knowledge to help you make the best decision about your treatment plan. Whether you are experiencing depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, our skilled mental health team—with over 30 providers—can provide you with the guidance and support you need every step of the way. Schedule a consultation with us today to explore how we can help you on your journey to improved mental health and well-being.
Electroconvulsive therapy, which has been in practice for centuries, can treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, mania, schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and others.
It works by inducing controlled seizures through an electrical current in the brain, stimulating it, and kick-starting it to improve its activity. With regular treatment, the patient is expected to be able to improve their brain functioning independently—easing their mental health symptoms. ECT is considered to be a very strong treatment option when standard treatments are ineffective or when patients exhibit severely impaired function.
ECT is a specialized procedure performed in the clinical or hospital setting by licensed medical practitioners. This procedure is administered under anesthesia so that patients can not feel anything or potentially hurt themselves as they experience the seizure—allowing them to safely undergo the ECT process. The ECT process involves placing electrodes on the head and chest—this is what delivers the electric current. An ECT session usually lasts around five to ten minutes. However, patients need to rest for at least an hour following the procedure as the clinician monitors them. The duration and frequency of ECT depend on the treatment provider and the nature of the treatment plan. ECT is usually administered two to three times a week for most patients.
One of the major advantages of ECT is that it is considered a highly safe procedure. In fact, when ECT is administered by qualified clinical professionals, it is even considered safe for pregnant women across all trimesters. ECT is also very strongly regulated. Strict guidelines and protocols are in place to ensure it is performed correctly.
However, it also offers some drawbacks to patients. ECT can come with side effects like temporary memory loss and headaches. It may not be suitable for patients who cannot medically undergo anesthesia. The extensive post-treatment recovery time needs may not be ideal to integrate into the patient’s lifestyle. Finally, ECT may not be widely available for patients in remote areas.
Transcranial magnetic therapy—abbreviated as TMS—is relatively modern compared to ECT. It has only been in practice since around the 1980s. Despite its relative newness, TMS has been extensively developed and researched. NeuroStar, the leading TMS therapy for major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and major depressive disorder with anxious depression, can be a promising treatment option for patients who are unable to find relief through standard treatments such as medication and psychotherapy.
TMS therapy works by stimulating the brain in strategic areas that control mood, emotion, and behavior. Over the treatment course, as the brain is repeatedly stimulated, it is expected to improve its activity. Eventually, the brain should be able to normalize its activity independently—as with ECT. The only major difference is that ECT involves forcing the patient to undergo a seizure to make this happen.
NeuroStar is administered in weekly 20-minute sessions by licensed clinicians without anesthesia or sedation of any kind. Throughout the NeuroStar treatment, patients are awake, alert, relaxed, and comfortable as electromagnetic waves gently stimulate brain neurons through the NeuroStar device. As soon as the 20-minute treatment session ends, patients can resume their usual daily activities without any monitoring or post-treatment waiting period. NeuroStar is delivered in a weekly treatment course over seven weeks. Over this time, patients typically experience enhanced brain functioning and brain activity, easing their mental health symptoms.
As a non-invasive and non-surgical treatment, NeuroStar offers a variety of benefits for our patients. Though most patients experience results after the seven-week treatment period, patients may experience rapid results as early as two to three weeks. Unlike ECT, NeuroStar patients can immediately return to daily activities post-treatment. Finally, NeuroStar offers nationwide insurance coverage, including coverage from Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare. Not all patients are suitable for NeuroStar, including children under the age of 15, pregnant patients, and patients with certain implants, such as cochlear devices.
Depending on your particular needs, both ECT and TMS can be very strong treatment options for your mental health condition. Determining which of these treatments is best for your circumstances requires expert guidance. Consulting a professional clinical mental health specialist, such as those on our team at Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare, can help you make an informed decision.
Our team of 30 Minneapolis-based clinical health specialists, practitioners, and providers can expertly guide you through your mental health treatment journey. Schedule your consultation today to discover how you can achieve relief from your depression, OCD, and anxiety symptoms with NeuroStar TMS in Minneapolis.
