According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 15% of all U.S. adults suffer from major depressive disorder. Treatment for depression commonly includes therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes. 

However, for some, those interventions aren’t enough to alleviate their symptoms. Kettering Health now offers Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a treatment option for depression. Dr. Kirk Chung, a psychiatrist, explains how it works and what patients can expect. 

How TMS treats depression 

TMS uses magnetic fields to adjust the activity of certain targeted areas of the brain. 

According to Dr. Chung, people with depression can have underactive areas of their brain, leading to symptoms like sadness, apathy, and suicidal ideation. Although underactive areas can vary from person to person, the area most commonly affected is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive functions such as attention, planning, and working memory. 

For individuals with depression, TMS can stimulate the underactive areas in their brains, relieving symptoms. Patients must try two different types of two separate classifications of anti-depressants without success to be a candidate for TMS. 

What patients can expect 

An MRI is used to locate the imbalanced areas of the patient’s brain, directing where to target the magnetic fields. During the treatment, which lasts three to 10 minutes, patients remain conscious and may experience a slight shock, which can lead to a mild headache. 

Dr. Chung says the treatment is considered to be safe without lasting side effects. 

“The patient can drive themselves to their appointment, have the treatment, then it’s perfectly safe to drive themselves back to work or to whatever is happening the rest of their day.” 

Patients will receive five treatments a week for six weeks. Follow-up appointments may be necessary if symptoms persist or return. 

The ‘kitchen sink’ approach 

TMS is a revolutionary treatment now available at Kettering Health, but Dr. Chung also encourages patients to follow lifestyle interventions. 

“Think kind of a ‘kitchen sink’ approach,” he says. 

Dr. Chung explains that proper sleep, regular exercise, adequate light exposure, and gratitude practice can significantly improve symptoms of depression. By combining lifestyle changes with TMS, Dr. Chung hopes to enhance patients’ response to the treatment and extend the time between “touch-up” sessions. 

If you’re struggling with depression, talk to your mental health provider to see if TMS is right for you.