A Successful Approach To Managing Depression There is no question that depression can be quite a crippling ailment. An individual's personal and professional life can be turned upside down if they are suffering from depression. There are a variety of treatment options available, based on the type and severity of the disorder. The most common treatment for depression is prescription medication. But, a majority of people that suffer from depression realize that the medication doesn't help with all of their symptoms or the side effects are too much to deal with. In the wake of treatments that some patients find ineffective or dangerous, transcranial magnetic stimulation is proving to be a viable alternative. This treatment option is somewhat new and has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It's a completely non-invasive treatment that requires no surgery, sedation or medication. It is not a systemic procedure, so the rest of the body won't be affected. The treatment is straightforward. It basically provides excitement by using a magnetic field to the nerve cells in the brain, particularly in the area of the brain that regulates and governs mood. The magnetic field that is produced is comparable to the kind you would find coming from an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging device. With the patient fully conscious and lucid, an electromagnetic coil is placed over the prefrontal cortex section of the brain on the left side of the head. Neuroscience shows this to be the part of the brain in charge of mood control. The magnetic field will hone in on this one area and will have no other effect on the rest of the brain. Tiny electrical currents then pass through several centimeters into the brain and stimulate the brain cells residing in the immediate area. What this essentially does is stimulate the release of neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin. There are a couple points that will need to be figured out so the treatment can be done safely, even though transcranial magnetic stimulation is a rather easy outpatient procedure that is performed under a psychiatrist's supervision. During the first appointment is where these determinations will be decided. You need to determine the exact spot the magnetic coils will be placed over, and this is done by a technique called mapping. Mapping simply involves using tiny pulses of electric current to map the cerebral cortex. A safe but effective dosage also needs to be determined, which is done by continuously raising the strength of the electromagnets until the hands begin to twitch. This point is called the motor threshold and is considered a point of reference for finding the correct dose to start at. The dose may be increased or decreased during the period of the treatment, relevant to any negative effects or symptoms that may result. You will find mild side effects to transcranial magnetic stimulation that are common, and will typically subside after the first few treatments. Headache and scalp discomfort are the more common side effects. Likewise, the magnetic stimulation may induce temporary tingling or twitching of muscles in the face. Some patients may suffer from some more uncommon side effects, but this normally happens when the patient is dealing with other conditions, like bipolar disorder or has complications with seizures. The medical professional should know about such conditions, along with any medications that are being taken to treat them. It is also not recommended that pregnant women ask for the treatment. While further study is needed to conclusively determine whether this treatment has any permanent side effects, it has been shown to be very safe and an effective method of treating depression. Individuals are finding relief from depressive disorders by getting transcranial magnetic stimulation TMS Providers
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A Successful Approach To Managing Depression in NYC and it's always performed by trained doctors. Much more info on TMS Medical Associates of New York are obtainable on the company's website, http://www.tmsproviders.com/.
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