Difference Between dTMS and rTMS

Deep TMS and Repetitive TMS treatments are being used in cases of severe treatment-resistant depression. While the methods are similar, there are certain basic differences that dictate the results.

Brain stimulation therapies have been gaining increasing leverage as an alternative treatment for depression. They are usually preferred when first-line treatments like medication and psychotherapy fail to achieve the desired results.

Of these, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has managed to achieve some breakthrough remissions and is one of the popular brain stimulation methods for treating depression and other mental health conditions.  In fact, there are two types of TMS clinical therapies offered by depression treatment centers – repetitive TMS (rTMS) and deep TMS (dTMS).

The rTMS was developed first and is considered the standard TMS treatment while the dTMS is basically an improvement over the rTMS technique. But, both these methods are primarily drug-free and non-invasive treatments that manage to normalize the neural activity in the brain. It is painless and do not require sedation – the patient can return to work immediately.

The basic TMS technique is simple – a large coil (similar to an MRI magnet) is used to transmit electromagnetic pulses to specific parts of the brain. The coil has to be carefully positioned based on the targeted brain cells (associated with mood) that have to be stimulated. This slowly changes the neural pathways so as to alleviate the symptoms of depression.

Both the methods have proved to be safe, effective and free of any physical or neurological side effects.

Let us understand the primary differences between these two types of TMS therapies:

Shape – rTMS uses a magnetic coil that is shaped like the figure 8 while dTMS is done using an H coil (H-1 usually but a new H-7 has been developed recently).

Pulse rate – In standard rTMS treatment, the electromagnetic field is repeatedly pulsed into the brain with increasing strength thus creating a stronger electromagnetic induction. In contrast, dTMS works on a continuous strength that maintains a steady electromagnetic pulse throughout the treatment.

Range – The rTMS coil manages to penetrate around 3cms into the skull. This allows it to stimulate the prefrontal cortex alone. On the other hand, dTMS treatment can safely penetrate up to 4cms. Therefore, it manages to reach deeper brain structures directly and can stimulate broader areas of the brain.

Duration – rTMS therapy has to be delivered for around 35 to 40 minutes to have the desired impact while dTMS sessions last for 20 minutes only.

Efficacy – Studies show that the response rate of rTMS (after six weeks - 30 sessions) is about 58% with about 37% of the patients achieving remission. In the same duration, around 75% of patients responded positively to the treatment and 51% managed to achieve remission.  The broader range of activation in dTMS is considered the reason for the superior response rate.

Therefore, a direct Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation near me is a more effective option for mental health conditions; of course only under the guidance of an appropriate healthcare professional.

How BrainsWay’s dTMS Works?

BrainsWay is a ground-breaking depression treatment based on Deep TMS. It uses magnetic fields to activate the neural pathways and deliver results when other treatments prove to be ineffective.

Depression is a terrible phase! The suffering person is calling for help! Coming to terms with the disorder and working his or her way out of the extreme despair is an intense journey.

Counseling and medications are the usual methods of treating depression. However, when these treatments fail to deliver the desired results, brain stimulation can prove quite effective. Especially, BrainsWay TMS locations are being hailed for both their efficacy and lack of side effects on the memory or sleep.

This is an advanced procedure based on the Deep TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) therapy. It uses electromagnetic fields to stimulate the nerve cells that have been damaged due to depression. The stimulation has proved to impact the working of the brain to the extent that it perks up the mood and slowly alleviates the symptoms of depression.

The best part is that the dTMS treatment is non-invasive and easily tolerated by the human body even while it delivers significant improvements. The patient is awake during the treatment and can return to normal activities at once. It is effective in treating other psychiatric conditions as well.

While different forms of dTMS are prevalent today, BrainsWay opens up a unique breakthrough through its patented H-1 coils that are fitted inside a helmet. This special structure manages to achieve a broader stimulation by reaching significantly greater depth and breadth in the brain as compared to the regular figure 8 coils. The best part is that it accurately targets specified areas of the brain that control the mood to excite or inhibit the neurons inside.

In fact, this treatment is patented and FDA cleared to treat both Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), making it the only TMS solution that has proved effective for treating OCD patients.

Those who are interested to find out more, can use the locator on the TMS Center Centennial website, https://tmscentercentennial.com to find Brainsway TMS locations nearby.