By Linda Hankemeier
Who would have thought you could watch TV while being treated for depression. While this may sound too good to be true, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a new treatment for depression for patients who don’t find relief through traditional treatments. While the name may sound daunting, this FDA-approved outpatient treatment has been found to be effective, is non-invasive, and is so simple you can watch TV while it’s going on.
While widely discussed, depression continues to be a disease that is frequently misunderstood by the public. It’s not uncommon for two people with the same symptoms to have different causes for their conditions, which require different treatments to regulate.
According to Dr. Anjum Bashir, MD, TMS works by delivering focused magnetic stimulation directly to the area of the brain that is thought to be involved with regulating mood. These magnetic field pulses are the same strength as those used in MRI machines. As these magnetic fields move into the brain, they produce very small electrical currents. These electrical currents activate cells within the brain, which are thought to release neurotransmitters. It is believed that the symptoms of depression can be alleviated by increasing the levels of these neurotransmitters.
If traditional treatments have not been effective, then TMS may be explored as a treatment strategy. If TMS is determined to be a course of treatments, the patient begins daily treatments five days a week for four to six weeks. While the first visit is usually longer than an hour, subsequent treatment visits are less than an hour. The TMS treatment itself only lasts about 37 minutes.
“TMS treatments are simple for the patient and cause no pain,” shares Dr. Bashir. “During treatments, patients are alert, awake, and can do almost anything except get up out of the chair.”
TMS treatments are completed at the doctor’s office. The treatment chair looks much like a typical dentist’s chair but with different attachments and equipment. A gentle electromagnetic coil, softly placed on the patient’s head, creates an intermittent pulse that sounds like a clicking noise. Patients say they feel a light tapping sensation during treatments but no discomfort or pressure.
“Almost all of my patients who had TMS treatments have seen improvements in symptoms or were able to reduce medication,” shared the doctor. He’s had a few patients who have been able to eliminate their need for depression medication altogether. These results are exciting, especially because the treatments have limited, if any, side effects (no sexual side effects, weight gain, seizures, or memory loss).
TMS therapy has been demonstrated to be safe and effective in treating major depressive disorder in adults who have not been able to achieve improvement from antidepressant medication. There are currently very few physicians that have the TMS equipment and are trained and qualified to deliver TMS therapy. If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, TMS therapy could be the answer.
For more information about TMS Therapy, please contact Anjum Bashir, MD at 309-808-2326 or 217-422-0027. His Bloomington office is located at 205 N. Williamsburg, Suite E, and he also has an office in Decatur. He is one of the few physicians in Central Illinois offering TMS Therapy for depression. TMS therapy is covered by most insurance companies including BC/BS, UBH, and Medicare.