Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a brain-localized treatment for depression and anxiety. After numerous positive clinical trials, the FDA approved using TMS for depression in 2008. Now, TMS provides symptom relief and remission to thousands of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). If you are interested in clinical depression treatment in Spokane, review the following benefits of TMS:
TMS Is Non-Invasive And Well-Tolerated
TMS treatment involves repetitive magnetic pulses administered to your brain. The pulses target your prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain that regulates mood. It’s completed in an outpatient setting without sedation or anesthesia, so it’s non-invasive.
The magnetic pulses stimulate brain cells to regenerate and grow, reestablishing mood and emotional equilibrium. This relieves depression symptoms and fixes the underlying cause without systemic treatment. Antidepressants are systemic because they circulate throughout your whole body, affecting more than just your brain. Some side effects of antidepressants include digestive problems, weight gain, sleep struggles, dulled mood, loss of libido, and sexual dysfunction.
Because TMS isn’t systemic, it’s a well-tolerated treatment. The most commonly reported side effect is mild scalp discomfort during or after treatment. This is from the magnetic treatment coil that guides the magnetic pulses. Because TMS stimulates your brain, sometimes it can bring on minor headaches, especially during the first week of treatment. Both side effects subside quickly and can be relieved by over-the-counter pain medication such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
TMS Therapy Effectively Treats Depression
According to the STAR*D study, less than 28% of patients will reach depression remission from the first antidepressant prescribed. But clinical studies continue to support that TMS is an effective treatment for depression. For example, one study found over 46% of patients were in remission, and 67% saw their depressive symptoms cut in half by TMS treatment.
In addition to being an effective treatment for MDD, TMS is ideal for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The STAR*D study found a decreasing percentage of treatment effectiveness with each antidepressant switch. However, one TRD study saw a 72% remission rate during the acute TMS treatment phase, with 80% of the studied patients maintaining remission over the four-year follow-up. Another study conducted over 42 different treatment sites found nearly 70% of the TRD patients responded to TMS, and 45% achieved remission. Check out ongoing clinical studies on TMS treatment on the U.S. National Institutes of Health website.
Treatment Is Widely Available And Accessible
Whether traveling to Washington for depression treatment or living here, you have access to the state’s most experienced and doctor-recommended treatment centers. NeuroStim has nine TMS centers in Washington that treat nearly 200 patients daily and have delivered over 100,000 successful TMS treatments overall.
The newest addition to the NeuroStim family is their TMS center in Spokane. Separated from the other locations by the Cascade Mountains, this facility increases the availability of TMS treatment to eastern Washington, western Montana, and northern Idaho.
NeuroStim is working on location availability and patient accessibility for TMS. To make TMS more accessible, NeuroStim accepts most insurance plans, including Tricare, VA/TriWest, Medicare, Medicaid, and many more. Once you meet your insurance requirements, you may only pay a copay for your treatments. NeuroStim has a dedicated team to assist you with your insurance approval process to minimize stress.
There Isn’t A Dosage Cap For TMS
As all the studies showed, TMS treatment is effective and likely to help you achieve remission from your depression. Like patients taking antidepressants, some don’t reach complete remission with TMS. However, antidepressants have a limit to how much you can take before you need to switch to a different medication. There is no maximum dosage for TMS treatment length or frequency. If symptoms return, you can always receive TMS therapy again. Think of it like exercise; once you get the benefits from it, it may take a little tune up so to speak. However, the second treatment will look nothing like the first treatment cycle.
Like with any depression treatment, TMS responses are individualized. Response rates are generally high, But some patients respond quickly to the initial course, while some need maintenance sessions every so often. Age, environmental factors, concurrent antidepressant use, and extent of treatment resistance can affect your response. TMS specialists in Spokane can provide more guidance for your specific circumstances after reviewing your history.
If you have TRD or long-standing depression, NeuroStim also offers accelerated TMS for depression in Spokane. As the name suggests, you can receive condensed treatment to speed up your response to treatment and depression recovery time. Preliminary studies suggest it can even help patients who didn’t respond to medication or standard TMS treatment.
What’s Special About NeuroStim
NeuroStim’s goal is to provide compassionate care and excellent treatment; according to their patients, they succeed daily. A Neurostim patient, Lindsey, said, “I just felt taken care of. It’s such a vulnerable thing to do, and I did not feel anything but supported…by the end of week two, people around me were noticing a significant change…even a month after [treatment], I am still noticing more improvement…it was worth it.”
NeuroStim’s TMS therapy in Spokane can enhance your quality of life. Another NeuroStim patient and military veteran, Douglas, explained, “Depression took a lot of my life away…TMS helped me not only to get even further [than medication] but to go all the way to full remission.”
If you are battling your depression, and want your life back, schedule a free consultation online or visit the Kendall Yards location at 546 N Jefferson Lane, Suite 304, Spokane, WA 99201. TMS coordinators are waiting to complete your initial consultation over the phone or in-office today.