| The idea that the brain is electrochemical in its | | | | need for an anesthetic or complicated preparation as |
| function is pretty well established these days. So it | | | | is common with shock treatment. The machine used |
| stands to reason that magnetic therapy or electrical | | | | resembles in outward appearance what you would |
| stimulation of the brain could be used to treat a host | | | | find in a dentists office. You sit in a chair that reclines |
| of neurological and psychological illnesses if properly | | | | backwards. The rTMS itself is near the head of your |
| applied. | | | | chair. Then a device containing the magnetic coil is |
| Perhaps the most popularized magnetic therapy for | | | | placed on the upper part of your forehead. The |
| the brain has been ECT (electro convulsive therapy). | | | | doctor then adjusts the magnetic coil to target very |
| Commonly called shock treatment: For many years | | | | specific parts of your brain and turns the magnetic |
| doctors have turned to electroshock treatment | | | | coil on. About 30 minutes later you are done with the |
| when the more conventional methods of talk therapy | | | | magnetic therapy. |
| and prescription medications have failed to | | | | The positive effects on your brain are very similar to |
| successfully treat depression and other brain | | | | shock treatment but the negative side effects from |
| disorders. However, as a magnetic therapy ECT has | | | | rTMS magnetic therapy are a radical improvement. |
| a nasty reputation for being overly brutal. ECT has | | | | There is no memory loss as is common with shock |
| improved over the years but is still considered to be | | | | treatment and the chance of a seizure is almost |
| a relatively harsh treatment. | | | | eliminated completely. The most commonly reported |
| A relatively new brain magnetic therapy is called | | | | side effects from rTMS magnetic therapy are a mild |
| rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation). | | | | headache, probably resulting from stimulation of |
| Unlike shock treatment, which is a sudden jolt of | | | | muscles in the scalp and discomfort from heat |
| electricity, rTMS is a repetition of much smaller pulses | | | | generated by the magnetic coil. Both are relatively |
| of magnetic energy administered to the brain over a | | | | mild and short term side effects.rTMS is proving to |
| 20 to 30 minute session. Dr. Anthony Barker of the | | | | be effective at treating not just depression but also |
| United Kingdom developed TMS, which was its | | | | many other brain and neurological disorders. Migraine |
| precursor, in the 1980s. Improvements in magnetic | | | | headaches, stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and |
| therapy technology in the 1990s led to better | | | | osteoarthritis have all been treated in controlled |
| magnetic coils allowing high or low frequency | | | | testing with varying degrees of success. |
| magnetic waves and much more accurate targeting | | | | Unfortunately, all of this magnetic therapy is very |
| of specific parts of the brain. The current version | | | | new. Today it is very unlikely that you will find an |
| integrating all these improvements is called rTMS or | | | | rTMS machine outside of limited controlled testing at |
| slow TMS if the magnetic waves are applied very | | | | very high end research hospitals. rTMS machines |
| slowly. | | | | gained FDA approval early in 2007 so it will likely be a |
| From the perspective of the patient the procedure is | | | | while before hospitals start getting the machines and |
| very simple. It is an outpatient procedure lasting | | | | use them on a regular basis. |
| about 40 minutes from start to finish. There is no | | | | |