There are a great number of therapeutic solutions available if you’re suffering from symptoms of depression. Working with a therapist is one helpful way to uncover causes for your symptoms and devise appropriate plans of action to deal with them, and this route often opens up others depending on the severity of your symptoms. Depending on your particular situation, you could be prescribed medication to help supplement the benefits of talk therapy.
Other options exist, though, which are less commonly known to many people suffering from depression. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is one such procedure. Some patients may find this to be a tremendously beneficial treatment for their symptoms in conjunction with the right medication.
Whether you’ve been recommended for TMS or are considering your options for dealing with symptoms of depression, it’s worth your time to learn more about it and how it could potentially help you. If you’re suffering from symptoms of depression, it’s also worth your time to reach out to Synchronous Mental Health. We’re a Portland, Oregon-based telehealth practice for medication management, psychiatric evaluation, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.
Read on for more information on transcranial magnetic stimulation, psychotropic medications, and how both can potentially offer significant help with managing your symptoms.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a noninvasive procedure that delivers repetitive magnetic pulses to your brain. It uses these pulses to stimulate your brain’s nerve cells, particularly in the region associated with mood control and depression. The goal is to stimulate activity in parts of your brain which have become less active in association with your depression.
Thanks in part to its noninvasive nature, TMS isn’t often associated with significant side effects. Common ones include headaches, scalp discomfort, facial twitching and lightheadedness. Rare issues include seizures and, particularly in bipolar patients, mania. Hearing loss is also a risk if you aren’t provided with adequate ear protection during the procedure.
You can read more about TMS, its effects, and steps to take before beginning treatment in this article from Mayo Clinic.
Psychotropic medications affect your mood, perception, and thoughts. They’re a tool typically used by patients dealing with worse-than-average symptoms of mental illnesses like depression. They function by adjusting your levels of neurotransmitters and generally need to be prescribed by a licensed medical professional before you can use them. This is mainly because, though they contribute to significant improvement in symptoms, some also come with a risk of side effects of varying severity including nausea, vomiting, poor sleep, and more.
That being said, with strict adherence to your prescription and close monitoring by your doctor, medications like antidepressants can be tremendously helpful for your symptoms, particularly if you can use them combined with TMS treatments.
One great benefit of TMS is the lack of severe side effects typically associated with it, and this remains true when used in conjunction with medication. It won’t interfere with most antidepressants, and in fact may enhance their beneficial effects. This makes supplementing your medication with TMS therapy a potentially very strong approach to managing your depression symptoms, particularly if they’re more severe than average.
You will, of course, need to speak with a doctor about these treatments before taking this approach, as they’ll have a better understanding of your specific situation when evaluating you for them. It’s also worth considering any side effects you’re currently experiencing from antidepressants, and whether the potential side effects of TMS could worsen them.
If you’re considering supplementing psychotropic medications with transcranial magnetic stimulation, or you’d like to learn more about these treatments, schedule a consultation with Synchronous Mental Health. Dealing with depression can be challenging and overwhelming, but we’re here to help you understand your options for managing it and leading a healthy, successful life.
