About half of all people living with a mental health condition also meet the criteria for at least one other condition. This overlap, called comorbidity, can make finding the right treatment option more difficult. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can be an effective treatment option for comorbid conditions, and there are several ways to use TMS to treat more than one condition in these cases.
Ketamine and accelerated TMS are very effective interventional mental health treatments. They can both treat conditions including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD. However, there are a few key differences that can help you decide which treatment is right for you.
TMS is non-invasive, convenient, and generally well-tolerated – often with minimal side effects. Temporary headaches are the most common side effect of TMS. The magnetic stimulation targets neurons in the brain; however, nearby facial muscles and nerves can also be affected. The contracting of these areas can be a cause of headaches during and after treatment. TMS technicians can adjust treatment to minimize discomfort, Tylenol and Advil can help, rest and hydration can help, and any headache pain should subside with time following treatment.
Originally used to treat depression, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has proven to be a transformative treatment option for many people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Wells Medicine offers accelerated TMS protocols designed to target severe and treatment-resistant OCD symptoms, providing a path toward rapid and lasting relief.
During TMS treatments you’ll hear the machine and you may feel mild sensations, some muscle twitching, or nothing at all. After treatment you may notice some temporary headache pain or scalp discomfort. The experience can be a bit odd, but it is broadly well tolerated and generally comfortable.
TMS treatment is evolving, and patients now have more options to fit their lifestyle and mental health needs. New protocols provide effective symptom relief and require less time in the office. Both repetitive and accelerated TMS are great for treating severe or treatment-resistant symptoms of depression, anxiety, OCD, and other mood disorders.
TMS is an advanced treatment option, originally developed in the 1980s, with a growing body of research and use. Therapeutic use has expanded beyond depression for the treatment of additional conditions and symptoms, with a variety of machines, and a growing selection of protocols.
TMS is focused and targeted — it targets one specific condition in one specific region of the brain.
Whether you’re just starting treatment or have been going for a long time, there are some reasons why you may not be seeing the efficacy you expect from treatment.
Your brain is remarkably flexible. Both ketamine treatments and TMS promote neuroplasticity — a state where the brain becomes more malleable and receptive to change. This creates a powerful window of opportunity to accelerate improvements in your mental health.
CTK, or Combined TMS and Ketamine treatment, may increase the benefit you can see from either treatment alone.
Insurance covers TMS in some cases but coverage is limited. Insurance is unlikely to cover advanced protocols, rapid treatments, complex cases, off-label indications, or other conditions and indications. A direct patient care model can offer the best available approach to TMS without insurance.
TMS leverages sophisticated equipment and targeted protocols to deliver great results for depression, anxiety, OCD, and other conditions. Growing fundamental and clinical data support more ways to help more people with a wider range of conditions and symptoms.
TMS can be an excellent option for many people, often providing good results even when other treatments may not have worked.
One-Day TMS is a form of accelerated TMS that condenses treatment down to a single day. Early research points to excellent and durable results.
TMS and ketamine are both highly-effective interventional treatments for mental health symptoms and conditions, including depression, anxiety, OCD, and other mood disorders and some pain conditions. They look wildly different at a quick glance, and they rely on totally different technologies. And yet, they have surprising similarities — not just in what they can help treat, but also in how they work.
Dr Wells explains what to expect during accelerated TMS — including what you can do during treatment, between sessions, and after you return home.
Dr Wells shares why we love interventional treatments for mental health.
Accelerated TMS is TMS on a rapid schedule. It is designed to include more sessions, greater precision, and more individualized treatments. Accelerated TMS is more convenient, faster acting, and shown to be more effective.
