The FDA has cleared NeuroStar TMS therapy for the treatment of depression and anxious depression as well as an adjunctive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The first-line treatment for depression is usually antidepressant medications, talk therapy, and lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, up to 66 percent of people who take antidepressant medications do not experience relief. However, there is hope for people with treatment-resistant depression. Find out if you are a candidate for NeuroStar TMS Therapy in Minneapolis.
TMS therapy is a different type of treatment that targets the area in your brain responsible for mood disorders like depression. While antidepressant medications do not specifically target the brain and are associated with a long list of side effects, TMS therapy targets the specific area of the brain associated with depression.
TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation, and the FDA has cleared it for the treatment of depression and depression-related anxiety for over a decade. When the neurological connections in the area of the brain that regulates mood do not function appropriately, the electromagnetic pulses from NeuroStar TMS can help activate the area and form new connections.
Research on NeuroStar TMS therapy has been done on people who are treatment-resistant. This means they have not received adequate relief of their symptoms on antidepressant medications. The data shows that 83 percent of the people who finish their NeuroStar treatment cycle experience a measurable improvement in their symptoms, and 62 percent experience complete remission.
Complete remission means that if they were evaluated by a physician after treatment, they would not be diagnosed with major depressive disorder. A treatment cycle with NeuroStar TMS therapy includes one treatment session five days a week for approximately seven weeks. Each session takes roughly 20 minutes.
People in Minneapolis who are good candidates for TMS therapy have tried several rounds of antidepressant medication and have not received adequate relief from the symptoms of depression. TMS treatment has been found to be safe and effective in many people, but it is not the right choice for every person.
Since TMS therapy uses electromagnetic pulses, it is contraindicated in people with any ferromagnetic substance near their head or neck. This means anything magnetic cannot be near where the electromagnetic pulses are targeting the brain. This can include a cochlear implant, pacemaker, bullet fragments, or tattoos that use ferromagnetic ink.
There is a very rare risk of seizures (0.1 percent) in individuals receiving TMS therapy. However, this also means that TMS therapy is contraindicated in anyone who has a seizure disorder, head injury, or other neurological condition that affects the brain.
Minneapolis candidates for NeuroStar TMS sit in a chair similar to the one at a dentist’s office, and a healthcare professional places a padded coil against their head in the area where the magnetic pulses will deliver therapy.
During the treatment, some people experience a warming sensation over the skin, tapping, or tingling. Others may experience a headache or a toothache. These side effects are usually temporary; most people do not experience them after the first week of therapy.
Because TMS therapy does not use anesthesia or sedation the way that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) does, once the session is over, you are free to go about the rest of your daily activities, including driving.
Over 169,000 individuals have received over 6.1 million NeuroStar TMS treatments. Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare has performed NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy on hundreds of individuals since 2017. In clinical trials, less than 5 percent of the people discontinued treatment on their own because of the side effects. The most common side effect was temporary discomfort or pain near the treatment site during the first week of treatment.
NeuroStar TMS is the only TMS therapeutic intervention that has been proven to be effective for one year. Lifestyle changes have also proven to be effective in the treatment of depression, but these are difficult to begin when you are depressed.
During the year when most people have very few to no symptoms of depression, you have the opportunity to make changes in your life that have also been shown to reduce the symptoms of depression, including quality sleep patterns, nutrition, and exercise.
NeuroStar TMS therapy offers hope for people with treatment-resistant depression, depression-related anxiety, and OCD. We encourage you to call our office today and schedule a consultation to discover if you are a good candidate for NeuroStar TMS Therapy in Minneapolis.
