Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD)
What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)?
In the previous article, we looked at what it means to say a patient’s depression is treatment resistant.
Many patients are treatment-resistant, meaning medication alone is insufficient to improve them. We also know that the longer a patient remains depressed (just like any illness where the patients take longer to get better), the more problems we must deal with.
Therefore, we must look for other ways to treat these patients.
Soon, more patients will have access to TMS. (Our machine is on its way yay!) Of course, we will explain in detail and get your consent before we start TMS, so this article is just a short introduction to this exciting treatment.
Of all the treatments we have access to, TMS is most like ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy).
However, it is very different from ECT:
• The patient is awake during the process and can drive home afterward
• There is no need for a theatre or anesthetist
• The patients do not report memory loss
• The series of treatments can be squeezed into one week
• The treatment is individualized to treat other conditions than depression
Of course, TMS also has its challenges e.g., it is relatively expensive and not widely available. These are challenges that we hope to overcome.
For more information, please contact us.