Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Treatment for Depression

To get more details on rTMS treatment for depression in Wales or to get it done, consult with Dr. Raman Sakhuja, a top-rated psychiatrist, at the Wales Psychiatry Centre.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Treatment for Depression

Depression, a worrisome mood disorder that makes an individual extremely sad, hopeless, disinterested, and has fluctuating behavior and thoughts at all times, may require psychotherapy in some cases. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a breakthrough, non-invasive psychiatric treatment that is most reliable for severe depression. Read on to learn more about this Best Depression Treatment in Cardiff.

What is rTMS treatment for Depression?

rTMS (repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is a kind of neural stimulation where magnetic pulses are utilized to stimulate the nerve cells of the limbic system- the mood-regulating region of the brain. Activating such areas of the brain in people suffering from treatment-resistant depression helps provide relief. 

When to Consider rTMS and Why?

rTMS is FDA-cleared to be prescribed by a psychiatrist to adults suffering from major depressive disorder and resistant to alternative treatments for depression. If antidepressants are not working alone, a psychiatrist considers rTMS either alone or in combination, only if the patient has no magnetic device in use.

rTMS has many benefits:

  • No need to go under the knife; no incisions/scars and anaesthesia

  • Effective treatment for major depressive disorder

  • An outpatient treatment

  • Low risk of serious side effects.

How Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Works?

An electromagnetic coil that produces changing magnetic fields in pulses is placed against the depressed patient’s head. The magnetic pulses create an electric current in the brain to depolarize the nerve cells in the targeted area, which is the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. When the non-functional superficial cortical neurons are repeatedly modulated by the rTMS machine, the patient’s brain starts regulating mood again, thereby relieving symptoms of depression.   

The rTMS Treatment Process

Before starting with the rTMS treatment, the patient will have to schedule an initial assessment. A brain MRI scan and another test will be done to check for the minimum strength of the magnetic pulse that will be safe and effective for treating depression.

During the treatment, the patient just has to sit or recline comfortably on the operating chair, and the rTMS machine will do its work in the frontal part of the brain. Every few seconds, a pulse will be delivered to the patient’s head that will create a tapping/knocking sensation and produce a clicking sound.

Original Source:- https://www.shofney.com/blogs/5705/Repetitive-Transcranial-Magnetic-Stimulation-rTMS-Treatment-for-Depression