TMS Therapy for Brain Injuries in McLean

A brain injury can be life-changing in ways that are not obvious to everyone around you. Maybe a car accident, a fall, or a hard hit during a sporting activity left you feeling sad, worn out, foggy, or just not like yourself. Maybe you have tried medication but still feel stuck, and this can be very discouraging.

For people who have attempted medication to relieve the symptoms of depression following traumatic brain injury (TBI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy may be an option worth exploring further. TMS is a treatment that delivers pulses to areas of the brain that are less active in people suffering from depression. TMS therapy for brain injuries in McLean offers an alternative means of treating depression, especially when medication seems to not relieve your symptoms.

Can TMS Help After a Head Injury?

Depression is very common following a brain injury. Studies published in the National Library of Medicine suggest that nearly 30% of people with a brain injury will develop major depression during their first year. Researchers believe this depression results from a disruption of the networks that carry signals between different parts of the brain. This is one of the reasons why TMS therapy for brain injuries in McLean is so promising. TMS stimulates parts of the brain that are less active using short, magnetic pulses, including rejuvenating parts of the brain that may have been damaged by a head injury.

TMS itself is not specifically cleared by the FDA for the treatment of brain injuries, but it is cleared by the FDA for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, given the physical damage that head injuries cause and the effects on signal transmission in those damaged areas, TMS has shown significant promise for treating this particular subset of patients with depression. TMS therapy for brain injuries in McLean, therefore, focuses on reanimating parts of the brain that are less active and linked to mood and depression.

What to Expect During Treatment?

Because TMS focuses on stimulating the brain, it requires a commitment of several weeks in which you would be expected to come to our office between five and seven days to receive therapy that lasts 20 to 40 minutes per session. TMS therapy for brain injuries is therefore not for every McLean patient. You have to be willing to commit for several weeks to benefit from the positive effects of the treatment.

The treatment itself is simple and comfortable. You sit in a comfortable chair throughout the treatment, and a helmet-like apparatus is placed on your scalp while the treatment is ongoing. You might feel light tapping on your scalp. The most common side effects reported are mild headaches and sometimes soreness around the tapping sensation, but these tend to fade quickly. Following the treatment, you can go back to your normal life, which includes driving yourself home and returning back to work or school immediately.

Contact Us in McLean to Learn How TMS Therapy Could Benefit Your Brain Injury

A brain injury can leave you feeling like a stranger to yourself, especially when depression takes hold and refuses to lift. TMS may offer a gentle, noninvasive option for depression associated with brain injuries. TMS therapy for brain injuries at McLean is committed to helping you feel more like yourself again. If you are interested in exploring TMS as an option for treating your brain injury symptoms, consider giving our office a call. Our team is ready to listen and happy to address your questions and explore if TMS is right for you.