This article will explore the safety of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) machines for patients, detailing how they work, potential risks, and how to ensure their safe use in treating mental health conditions.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a growing non-invasive treatment for mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. It has increased in its usability across multiple mental health conditions after receiving FDA approval and continuing ongoing research. But, what is a transcranial magnetic stimulation machine, and what is the best transcranial magnetic stimulation machine to use?

What Is a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Machine?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a form of non-invasive treatment that relies on a machine known as a transcranial magnetic stimulation machine. Through this machine, electrodes are placed on your head and impulses sent directly into the deeper part of your brain to help reach areas that might have atrophied or are not functioning well, and as a result, have led to mental health issues.

The transcranial magnetic stimulation machines that are used are controlled by a technician who controls the location and intensity of the waves that are sent into your brain.

Types of TMS Machines

There are different types of transcranial magnetic stimulation machines, ranging from simple, at-home machines that run on batteries to coil-based products.

• Traditional rTMS uses a figure 8 coil, usually with a helmet that patients wear on their heads for more comfortable repetitive stimulation.
• Deep TMS uses a unique coil design that reaches deeper regions of the brain.
• Bilateral transcranial magnetic stimulation machines target the left and right hemispheres at the same time
• Navigated TMS machines use the same type of TMS but in conjunction with an MRI or fMRI to guide the targeted stimulation to a specific region of the brain

They are all generally applied in a similar fashion.

Applications of TMS

With any of these transcranial magnetic stimulation machines, you can undergo treatment for conditions like depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and much more.

How Does a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Machine Work?

During a TMS session, an electromagnetic coil gets placed against your scalp, close to your forehead. From there, an electromagnet delivers painless magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in your brain. This reaches nerve cells that are involved in things like depression and mood control, decreasing activity associated with mental health conditions like depression or anxiety.

Targeted Areas of the Brain

Depending on the condition for which you are receiving treatment, the magnetic pulses will be targeted to specific parts of your brain.

TMS machines use targeted pulsed magnetic fields, much the same as MRI machines. With TMS for addiction, anxiety, OCD, depression, or related conditions, the majority of the work tends to be targeted at the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

TMS Procedure

So, what can you expect during a procedure?

TMS sessions are simple and safe.

During a procedure, you will come to a given facility and wear the padded helmet associated with the transcranial magnetic stimulation machinee that your facility uses. From there, the magnetic wave pulses are sent into your brain.

Each session takes roughly 20 minutes and doesn’t require any type of medication, anesthesia, or other inpatient procedures, which means you can schedule your sessions in the middle of the day and immediately go back to your regular routine.

Most people have sessions every day of the week over the span of several weeks, depending on their situation and the type of condition they are having treated.

Is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Safe for Patients?

Absolutely. There are minimal risks of side effects; the procedure is a safe, outpatient procedure that does not cause pain. Moreover, it has received FDA approval for several conditions, including treatment for depression, approved by the FDA in 2008. Since then, clinical research has continued to confirm the efficacy and safety of transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Potential Risks and Complications of TMS Machines

There are very few potential risks or complications associated with the best transcranial magnetic stimulation machine. Side effects do happen, but they are rare and they tend to include headaches or discomfort where these electrodes or the helmet were placed. Thankfully, these side effects typically go away after the first few sessions.

There are some cases of severe reactions, but these are often limited to those who are prone to seizures or have implants near the brain. For that reason, most people undergo an initial consultation when receiving professional treatment to ensure that they are monitored for any risk factors and that they are qualified candidates, to begin with.

The Benefits of TMS Over Traditional Treatments

There are many benefits of TMS over traditional treatments, not least of which has to do with the limited side effects.

Comparison to Medications

For many of the conditions for which TMS has received FDA approval, pharmacological approaches involve medication with severe side effects. Not only that, but those side effects can be long-term.

By comparison, TMS does not come with unwanted side effects in almost all cases, nor does it have any contraindications with other treatments or medications, which means it is perfectly safe to use in conjunction with additional therapy or prescriptions.

Improvement in Patient Quality of Life

Perhaps most importantly, a large contribution to FDA approval was the fact that TMS can be used for immediate improvement in the majority of patients. TMS for depression, for example, has been approved since 2008, and studies indicate that 70 an average of 75% of patients experience substantial relief, and more than half of patients receive complete remission. This can take as little as two or three weeks to feel better.

Summing Up

The use of transcranial magnetic stimulation machines is very safe. There are limited side effects and very few risks associated with this treatment. It is important to understand how safe the overall profile is for these machines and how immediate the effects can be in treating mental health conditions like depression, OCD, or substance abuse. TMS is a well-researched and FDA-approved treatment option with minimal risks when administered properly.