Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting more than 19 million Americans every year. And as the COVID 19 pandemic wears on, those rates are on the rise. Depression robs people of their pleasure in daily life, affects all aspects of their lives from relationships to work life, and can even complicate other existing medical conditions. Neurostar TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is an FDA-cleared, non-medication treatment that is giving hope to depression sufferers and the program at the Center for Life Management in Derry recently marked the 10th anniversary.
According to Ken Brown, MD, Medical Director at the Center for Life Management, “TMS is an innovative therapy for adults, particularly those suffering with treatment resistant major depression. While TMS is not going to be right for all patients, it does give us another highly effective tool in helping patients get relief from depression.”
TMS treatment is done on an outpatient basis by prescription under the supervision of a psychiatrist. During treatment the patient is awake and seated in a comfortable chair, much like a dentist’s chair. A device about the size of a cupped hand rests lightly on the head and delivers a series of targeted magnetic pulses that stimulate the part of the brain involved with regulating mood. The strength of the magnetic pulse is the same as that used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines.
For more information about Neurostar TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) treatment at the Center for Life Management in Derry, please call 603.434.1577 option 3.