Are Traditional Treatments for Depression Falling Short? Try TMS

Living with depression is exhausting. The continual feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and guilt can make even getting up each morning challenging. 

The first treatments for depression are medications and psychotherapy (talk therapy). For many people, these are effective. 

However, for 60% of people dealing with depression, the first treatments don’t relieve their symptoms. Another third don’t find relief after trying out a second or even third treatment option. When this happens, depression is called treatment-resistant depression. 

If your depressive symptoms are still overwhelming you after trying multiple medications and management strategies, you might feel like you’re in a hopeless situation. Fortunately, a new and incredibly effective treatment called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy has provided much-needed relief for many with treatment-resistant depression. 

Our team at RapidRecovery TMS in Wilmington, North Carolina, offers this treatment at our practice, and we review what to expect from it in this month’s blog. 

What is TMS therapy?

TMS therapy is a non-invasive treatment that sends electromagnetic pulses through a coil placed on your head. 

TMS relies on the fact that your brain is electrically active. This means when magnetic pulses are sent from the coil, they can communicate with the neurons in your brain. The pulses excite neurons that aren’t used enough or slow neurons that are firing too often, especially ones that deal with emotions and feelings of pleasure. 

When you undergo TMS therapy, the type of coil, the pulse intensity, and the area of the brain targeted are all customized specifically to your mental health. 

What to expect from TMS therapy

TMS therapy requires a time commitment to see optimal results. You need five sessions per week for several weeks, and sessions last 20-50 minutes. 

During your first session, our team determines which area of your brain to target and the pulse intensity you’ll need. Then, we provide hearing protection before placing the coil on your head. The entire procedure is painless, but you may experience a tapping sensation when the coil sends pulses. 

No downtime or recovery is necessary after your sessions. 

Does TMS therapy actually work?

When it comes to treating treatment-resistant depression, TMS therapy shows encouraging results. In fact, 50-60% of people who’ve received TMS therapy for treatment-resistant depression have reported a significant reduction in symptoms, with one-third experiencing a full remission, meaning symptoms completely disappear.  

It’s important to remember that depression may return occasionally. That said, TMS therapy can provide months of optimal mental health. 

To learn if TMS therapy could offer relief from your depression, schedule an appointment with our team by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.