Quincy Reporter

Blessing Health System issued the following announcement on Jan. 23.

Patients living with major depression have a new care option available through Blessing Physician Services. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an FDA approved, non-invasive treatment that can provide relief of depressive symptoms when medications and talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy, do not deliver the desired results.

Through an electromagnetic coil placed against the side of the patient’s head while they sit in a comfortable chair, TMS releases magnetic pulses that stimulate nerve cells and blood flow to the region of the brain affected by depression, relieving symptoms. Patients undergo 36 TMS treatments. The first appointment is one hour. The remaining appointments are approximately 30 minutes.

“Nationwide, results have been phenomenal,” said Bejoy John, MD, psychiatrist, Blessing Physician Services. “Relapse rates are comparatively less than when using medication alone.”

Salvador Sanchez, MD, psychiatrist, Blessing Physician Services, says TMS differs from Electroconvulsive Therapy or ECT.

“There is no hospitalization with TMS, as there is with ECT. There is no period of recovery after a TMS treatment, as there is after ECT. And the side effects of TMS are minimal when compared to ECT,” said Dr. Sanchez

TMS side effects may include headache and lightheadedness.

“Patients are more willing to complete TMS therapy because it has fewer side effects and less discomfort than medications and ECT,” added Dr. John.

“This is a treatment, not a cure,” Dr. Sanchez stated. “Medications will still be needed for the majority of patients. TMS gives people living with depression another option to improve their quality of life.”

While TMS is considered safe, people with metal devices in the upper part of their bodies and pregnant women cannot receive the treatment.

There are eight recognized forms of depression, making it the most common form of mental illness. In general, depressions causes a person feelings of sadness and hopeless that can leave them unable to function in their daily life, cause suicidal thoughts and require hospitalization.

For more information, call (800) 222-9913 in Illinois or (800) 222-9914 in Missouri.

Original source can be found here.

Source: Blessing Health System