Does TMS work for everyone? Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy is a depression treatment that has been growing in popularity for the last several years. As with anything new and exciting, the promise surrounding this relatively new treatment can lead people to wonder, does TMS therapy really work? Well, there’s no such thing as a magical cure-all that can promise perfect results for everyone. That goes for any medical condition and is especially true for depression. That said, TMS therapy offers similar success rates to traditional medication. While most depression sufferers still begin their treatment journey with traditional medication and psychotherapy, many have become understandably frustrated with the slow trial and error process of zeroing in on the most effective medication and dosage, not to mention the slew of potential side effects that come part and parcel with most antidepressant medications. Whereas antidepressant medication has been observed to produce side effects ranging from dizziness and dry-mouth to suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and decreased sexual desire, the side effects of TMS are generally limited to minor scalp irritation, mild headache, and temporary lightheadedness.
TMS Therapy Success Rate
With TMS therapy’s success rate being so good and its drawbacks so minor, a more specific question may be, is TMS therapy right for me? And the answer is, let’s talk about it. If you’ve tried medication and therapy but haven’t found the level of relief you’re after, TMS is a great alternative that has achieved positive results for many people in your situation.[1] Not only does the treatment show great promise, but the results come sooner and more predictably than with traditional psychopharmaceutical treatment. While it can take over a month to find the right antidepressants, TMS therapy can begin working from your first appointment, and unlike electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), TMS is non-invasive, does not require any anesthesia whatsoever, and can be done in sessions as short as twenty minutes. This allows TMS patients to schedule a therapy session into their daily routines, whenever is convenient. Just pop in for your appointment, and as soon as it’s over, you’re ready to carry on with the rest of your day.
So, does TMS therapy really work? The studies say yes. Will TMS therapy work for you? There’s a good chance it will, and considering the relatively minor reported side effects, along with the quick, easy administration of TMS therapy, there’s no reason not to consider it. Contact us, and let’s talk about whether TMS is a good fit for your depression treatment plan.
Suffering from depression can be a debilitating experience. If you’ve tried medication without success, that sense of hopelessness and disappointment might feel even more insurmountable. The process of finding and beginning another course of treatment likely feels daunting beyond belief, but if you’ve found this blog in the course of investigating whether TMS could work for you, please get in touch. For many people, TMS has succeeded where medication has failed. We believe in TMS therapy, and in the potential it has to change the lives of those afflicted by depression. Let us help you explore the curative possibilities of this exciting new treatment.
[1] George, M. S., Lisanby, S. H., Avery, D., McDonald, W. M., Durkalski, V., Pavlicova, M., … Sackeim, H. A. (2010). Daily left prefrontal transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for major depressive disorder: a sham-controlled randomized trial. Archives Of General Psychiatry, 67(5), 507–516. https://doi-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.46
