Am I a Good Candidate for TMS?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is one option for the treatment of depression that's resistant to medications – but is it right for you? Read on to discover if you're a good candidate for TMS therapy to treat your mental health symptoms.

Depression and other mental health disorders have a way of taking over your thoughts, behaviors, and, ultimately, your life. Finding a treatment that works for you can be difficult, especially when you're unable to take medications.

If you're tired of living every day with the mental exhaustion and fatigue of depression or PTSD, you may be wondering what your options are.

TMS therapy is one of the options you may not have thought about. Still, it is truly successful in treating major depressive disorder, PTSD, and other mental health problems.

Dr. Elia R. Gonzalez-Rodriguez and the team at Pacific Phoenix TMS offer various treatments for mental health problems. Dr. Gonzalez-Rodriguez is a psychiatry specialist who is an expert in TMS therapy to provide long-lasting relief to her patients.

Understanding TMS Therapy

Transmagnetic stimulation therapy is a type of treatment for treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

One of the significant benefits of TMS therapy is that it's noninvasive and doesn't require downtime after treatment, making it ideal for many people needing relief from mental health problems.

TMS therapy uses a magnetic coil to influence electrical activity in the brain. The magnetic coil improves your mood and symptoms related to depression, OCD, and PTSD.

The neurons in the brain use electrical activity to communicate, which is why electricity is essential for the brain to regulate your behaviors and emotions.

When you're living with a mental health problem, the electrical activity slows down in certain areas—the slowed electrical activity results in negative emotions and trouble with cognitive processing.

Medications and psychotherapy are typically the first line of treatment for OCD, PTSD, and depression. When they fail to control your emotions, however, TMS may be the next step.

Who is a good candidate for TMS therapy?

If you're living with depression or other mental health problems, you want relief as soon as possible. Though other treatments help some, they aren’t successful for everyone.

But what makes you a good candidate for TMS therapy? Anyone who falls into any of the following categories may be a good candidate for TMS therapy:

You have major depression, OCD, or PTSD
Other treatments haven't helped your symptoms
Your symptoms affect your life and activities
The medications aren't giving you enough relief
Medications are giving you undesirable side effects
You have a medical condition in which you can't take mental health medications

When you're living with a mental health problem that's affecting your life, and you aren’t getting relief with other treatments, ask our team about TMS therapy.

We evaluate your current and past medical history and discuss the other treatments you've tried to determine if TMS therapy can help you.

Who can't have TMS therapy?

Although TMS therapy is quite successful, not everyone who's living with major depression, OCD, or PTSD is a candidate. Some circumstances disqualify someone from undergoing TMS therapy.

One of the disqualifying factors in candidacy for TMS therapy is implanted metal that you can't remove. This includes any metallic objects in or around the head, except for metallic fillings in the teeth.

You also can't have TMS therapy if you have a seizure disorder or have had a seizure in the past. We may also advise against TMS therapy if you have any other neurological conditions or have had head injuries in the past.

Implanted objects that require physiological stimulation also disqualify you from TMS therapy. These implants include vagus nerve stimulators, implanted pacemakers, and cardiac defibrillators.

Dr. Gonzalez-Rodriguez carefully examines your medical history to determine if you can or can't undergo TMS therapy for treatment-resistant mental health problems.

Call one of our conveniently located offices in Salmon Creek or East Vancouver, Washington, today to schedule an appointment for TMS therapy, or request an appointment on the website.