TMS Therapy – A Ray of Hope for Severe Depression

As our body gets various diseases, we immediately visit the doctor’s clinic and try to get it cured. And even if we don’t visit a doctor, we try to get some home remedy to treat the ailment. Just like our body, our mind too constantly undergoes wear and tear. However, it’s quite surprising that we don’t pay much attention to it and we never visit a psychiatrist or a counselor every now and then; neither do we try any home remedy. However, we should understand that just like our body, our mind too needs healing. So far, no medical equipment, medicine or procedure existed which could come in direct contact with our mind (brain) and so, mental treatments were vague, so to say. But now such a therapy has finally arrived – it’s Transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment or TMS Therapy!

What is TMS Therapy?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment or TMS Therapy is a noninvasive therapy which makes use of magnetic fields for stimulating nerve cells in the brain and thereby relieves symptoms of depression. TMS therapy is usually given when other treatments fail.

How does TMS Work?

During TMS therapy, an electromagnetic coil is positioned near your forehead against your scalp. A magnetic pulse is delivered by the electromagnet which is painless and it stimulates the nerves in the area of your brain that involves depression and mood control. In people suffering from depression this area may have a reduced activity which the electromagnetic impulse may activate.

Repetitive TMS (rTMS)

The TMS therapy involves delivering magnetic pulses repetitively and so, it’s known as repetitive TMS or rTMS.

The exact biology of rTMS is not totally known yet. However it is believed that the electromagnetic stimulation affects the working of that part of the brain and thereby, it eases the symptoms of depression and elevates mood.

What is Deep TMS (dTMS)?

Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is the flagship technology of Brainsway, a company committed to develop and provide advanced technological solutions for treating various brain disorders. Brainsway’s dTMS is based on the patents filed by NIH (the US National Institutes of Health) and by the company. Brainsway has an exclusive license for the patent and dTMS technology from the NIH.

Difference between TMS and dTMS

TMS was approved by FDA in 2008 and dTMS was approved by FDA in 2013. Both are used for the treatment of depression where other standard treatments fail. The difference between the two procedures is that, in standard TMS the activation of neurons is limited only up to a depth of around 1.5 cm in cortical area with stimulation of deeper structures taking place in the secondary processes, whereas in Deep TMS, the coil system is designed differently because of which a higher penetration and direct neuronal stimulation up to a depth of around 6 cm takes place which facilitates direct inhibition or excitation of deeper structures in the brain.

So, if you or your loved one is suffering from depression, consult your doctor about taking the TMS or dTMS therapy. Who knows, you or s/he will get rid of the disorder forever!