Major depression is an extremely complicated disorder, and though there are treatments available that are effective for some portion of patients, including SSRI drug therapy, psychotherapy, meditation, and exercise, not every treatment for depression works well for everyone. For those who have treatment resistant depression, transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy has been shown to provide some relief.
There are a number of things that make transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy worth recommending. Unlike some prescription drugs which can have debilitating side effects, TMS has not been shown to cause sedation, weight gain, or sexual dysfunction. As well, unlike electroconvulsive therapy, also known as electroshock treatment, transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy has not been shown to impair memory. Memory loss is an extremely common side effect of electroshock therapy, especially in relation to short term memory.
Another positive aspect of transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy is that not only does it treat depression, it can also be an effective anxiety treatment protocol. Because anxiety often exists as a co morbidity along with major depression, for those patients dealing with both disorders, TMS therapy may prove to be especially helpful.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy has proven to be both safe and effective in clinical trials involving 10,000 plus treatments. Fewer than 5 percent of all patients studied decided to discontinue transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy due to detrimental effects of the treatment. The most common documented side effects associated with transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy involved scalp discomfort at the site of administration. All of the research has shown that transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy is an unassailable treatment for those suffering with major depression and anxiety. Get more on this here.