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Treatment-Resistant Depression, Anxiety, Psychiatric Disorders – rTMS could be your answer

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To begin with let’s hope and pray that no one with mental illness comes to such a pass- being in a state of severe depression, anxiety or some or other kind of psychiatric disorder where you feel you are with your back to the wall with no treatment proving effective.

Pain reliever!

It is a condition of being wherein the patient feels as if the clock has come to a standstill. Nothing, no amount of medication and treatment seems to be working for him or her. But unfortunately, it’s also a harsh fact of life that there are a large number of people who suffer from such a severe disorder. They are in need of immediate relief from their suffering. In such patients rTMS or repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation comes with the much needed succor.

Brain stimulant

Despite its seemingly heavy terminological description, simply put rTMS is nothing but an external stimulation of brain with magnetic waves using some specialized sophisticated equipment under the supervision of professional and trained mental health experts. It induces a sense of well being in patients by increasing blood circulation and oxygen supply to the brain. No wonder, usefulness of rTMS is being increasingly recognized by mental health institutions thanks to positive feedback from patients.

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Standalone treatment

Experts say rTMS can be either a standalone treatment process or can be used along with other ongoing pharmacological therapies keeping in view the particular needs of individual patients. According to a study nearly 30 – 46 per cent of persons suffering from major depressive disorder do not respond effectively to antidepressants at the initial crucial stage of treatment. It further aggravates the condition of patients in the absence of any available alternative treatment options of methods.

Complete cure

How does rTMS work and in what ways it helps? After numerous trials the efficacy of rTMS has been registered. It is a non-invasive treatment method. Pulsed magnetic field is applied close to an area in scalp. The magnetic waves in the scalp cause depolarization of neurons in cerebral cortex. The treatment gives relief and restores balance in brain functioning. A single pulse of magnetic stimulation is proven to elevate the mood for some period. Hence, the need for repeating the treatment process is underlined for complete recovery.

Challenges

Like any other field of psychiatric treatments, rTMS is also an evolving science of treatment for severe depressive and psychological disorders. Experts in the field, however, point to existing challenges in treating patients with rTMS. Some of these challenges relate to finding ways to increase the efficacy of rTMS in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Further, they are also faced with the difficulty of identify patients who are likely to respond positively to rTMS. This brings one to the issue of professional capabilities of mental healthcare institutions and professionals in treating patients with the help of rTMS.

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Professional institutes

Treatment and mental healthcare institutions such as Cadabam’s hospitals in Bengaluru is perhaps among a very few institutions with proven track record of effectively treating patients with rTMS. The Cadabam’s hospitals boast of a state-of-the-art infrastructure for curing a large number of mental disorders in their varying manifestations. It is well equipped with imported rTMS device, normally used in university hospitals. Under expert supervision it is attached to scalp. Magnetic waves induce a sense of wellbeing by increasing blood circulation and oxygen supply to the brain. This improves concentration, reduces stress and brings about a sense of balance.

Treatment programs

At Cadabam’s Hospitals, patients with stress, depression, anxiety and some adult psychiatric problems can utilize the rTMS treatment method for effective cure, leading to a complete recovery through tailor-made treatment programs.

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