What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)?
TMS is a treatment method that uses neuroscience insights to directly target mental illness symptoms. This treatment is completely non-invasive and has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of a number of mental health concerns.
How Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Works
Using powerful magnetic impulses, TMS in San Diego can help to activate brain regions that show reduced activity in people experiencing the signs of mental illness. This can create lasting changes in neuronal activity, which can create positive changes in mood and behavior.
Different kinds of TMS activate different brain regions, but the primary target is the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This region of the brain has been associated with executive control and functioning, working memory, planning, and task switching.
By increasing neuronal activity in this region, people can see improvements in all of these domains in functioning. This is often enough to produce meaningful steps toward mental health recovery, and in some cases, it may result in the total remission of a mental health disorder.
Who Can Benefit from TMS?
TMS therapy in San Diego has been approved by the FDA to treat a wide number of mental health concerns, including:
- Major depressive disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Smoking cessation
- Anxious depression
TMS is also used to address a number of other mental health concerns as an off-label treatment. The number of studies involving transcranial magnetic stimulation and its potential treatment applications is increasing continuously.
San Diego transcranial magnetic stimulation is particularly beneficial for people who have treatment-resistant mental health conditions, meaning they have tried antidepressant medications or talk therapy in the past with little success.
TMS works differently than other treatments by directly stimulating the parts of the brain associated with mental illness symptoms.
The Potential Benefits of TMS
TMS treatment in San Diego takes a unique approach to healing mental health concerns. Conventional therapies treat disorders like MDD and OCD indirectly through either talk therapy or psychotropic medications. While these treatments are often effective, many people are unable to see meaningful results that truly impact their lives.
The potential benefits of San Diego transcranial magnetic stimulation include the following:
- Relieving the symptoms of depression
- Improving cognitive functioning
- Reducing anxiety associated with OCD or anxious depression
- Improved sleep
- Reductions in chronic pain
By addressing the brain changes associated with mental illnesses directly, people can experience rapid and lasting relief from their symptoms. It can also increase a person’s ability to interact with other styles of treatment effectively.
For example, by increasing a person’s capacity for executive functioning and planning, they may be able to better focus their attention during talk therapy, remember their therapist’s instructions, and apply the skills they learn in treatment to their everyday life.
What You Can Expect During Our TMS Therapy Sessions
The process for receiving TMS in San Diego is simple and efficient. Our team will first perform a thorough assessment to determine your specific needs and to discern whether you have any pre-existing conditions or implants that may impact your procedure.
The TMS treatment involves sitting in a comfortable chair and having a specialized electromagnetic coil placed against your head. This coil will deliver stimulating pulses directly into your brain and will be turned on and off repeatedly. The pulses feel like tapping or knocking and are typically tolerated well.
Sessions can last anywhere from five minutes to an hour, depending on your specific protocol. One of our medical providers will be there throughout your entire treatment, monitoring your treatment progress and answering any questions you may have.