TMS therapy can be a great alternative for our patients who do not respond well to common mental health treatments, like medication or psychotherapy. While these treatments work for many people, they don’t work for everyone—some patients, like you, need alternative, safe, and gentle treatment options. But is TMS the right treatment option for you? What is TMS therapy, and what is the history behind this mental health treatment?
In this article, we will explore the history of TMS therapy, and how it has emerged as an excellent treatment method for patients with various mental health disorders. If you would like to learn more about TMS as a treatment option for your mental health, schedule a consultation with our team at Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare today.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy is a breakthrough in the medical treatment of mental health, and it is now widely used to treat several conditions, including depression, anxious depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Believe it or not, the research and development of TMS has been around for hundreds of years—even though this treatment is relatively new to the mental health treatment landscape. As early as the late 1700s, scientists have been curious about how electricity and magnetism affect our brain activity. Fast forward almost 300 years later to the late 1980s and 1990s, when Dr. Anthony Barker discovered that brain activity could be improved with the stimulation of magnetic fields without the need for surgery. This was a groundbreaking finding that became the foundation of TMS technology.
In the beginning, TMS was mainly used for studying how our brains work. Experiments were conducted with TMS to show that different parts of the brain were involved in different functions. However, during these experiments, neurobiologists and other research scientists discovered that TMS can help treat mental health problems. They found that it was particularly helpful for treating conditions like depression—especially in patients who did not respond to regular medications, like antidepressants. To this day, researchers continue to explore other uses for TMS for mental health, including treating Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, bipolar disorder, and chronic pain.
TMS achieved a huge milestone in 2008 when the United States FDA cleared it for treating medication-resistant depression. This was a momentous occasion in proving the validity of this treatment as an alternative to medication, psychotherapy, and other treatments. Another important milestone was seen in 2013, when TMS became part of the treatments for mental health covered by major insurance companies.
The research and development of TMS technology has since improved dramatically. Today’s TMS devices that are currently used in the market, including what we use at our practice—NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy—are much more safe, effective, and precise. This is because they only target the areas of the brain that need stimulation, without impacting other brain areas. This results in targeted treatment that causes far fewer side effects and better results for patients. NeuroStar, in particular, has been shown to not cause any adverse side effects whatsoever, making it a much gentler treatment alternative to medication or surgery.
Today, TMS is used in clinics around the world as a non-invasive and non-surgical treatment option for people with mental health disorders who haven’t found relief from other treatments. NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy, in particular, is the #1 TMS treatment in the world recommended by physicians for patients with clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxious depression—and we proudly offer it at our clinic for our patients.
Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare specializes in mental health treatment for patients with psychiatric conditions, including clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxious depression. We pride ourselves on being an inviting, open, and safe place for people from all walks of life, where patients like yourself can get the mental health care they need without judgment. From the moment you step into our comfortable, spacious, and newly remodeled office, you will know that you are in good hands and will be well taken care of.
Not only do we offer NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy, we offer a number of mental health services to meet a variety of needs, including ADHD testing, Spravato (esketamine) treatment, psychotherapy and medication management.
TMS therapy can be an excellent treatment alternative for patients who do not find relief with medication, therapy, or other mental health treatments—and it is backed by a history of research and development that proves its safety and efficacy for many common mental health conditions. At Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare, headed by Medical Director Dr. Awosika, we offer the #1 doctor-recommended TMS treatment in the world, NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy. This treatment is ideal for qualifying adult and adolescent (15+) patients who experience major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or anxious depression.
For more information about TMS therapy, schedule a consultation today.
