Dr. Carole Orem-Hough serves as a Licensed Psychologist and Managing Director of NeuroHealthMaine, a medical service company that offers brain-based treatments for psychiatric conditions. Through this company, Dr. Carole Orem-Hough provides clients with access to transcranial magnetic stimulation. Treatment is prescribed by a physician.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is a non-pharmaceutical and non-invasive therapy that can be used to treat major depression and other brain-based conditions such as anxiety, migraines, OCD and others. Presently, the FDA and the insurance companies approve TMS for major depression that is resistant to treatment. This means the person has not responded sufficiently to medication and/or not been able to tolerate the medication due to side effects. Insurance requires a patient try at least four different medications, one from a different class and a patient must do psychotherapy.
When resistance to treatment occurs with medications, statistics suggest that with depression each subsequent medication taken results in an even lower chance of success for the next. These patients may find relief with TMS. TMS works by sending electromagnetic pulses into those areas of the brain that contribute to the brain-based disorder. The pulses come from a device that is placed on the patient's head on the specific area to be treated. For the treatment of depression, a series of rapid pulses pass through the skull and into the brain, where they stimulate nerve cells that are typically underactive. With other disorders it may require slow pulses to treat overactive areas.
Statistics show that up to 50 percent of patients with depression respond to TMS, despite failure to benefit from medication. Approximately 33 percent of these individuals experience complete freedom from symptoms -- remission. Relief can last permanently or the patient may need to return for a shorter booster treatment at some time.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is a non-pharmaceutical and non-invasive therapy that can be used to treat major depression and other brain-based conditions such as anxiety, migraines, OCD and others. Presently, the FDA and the insurance companies approve TMS for major depression that is resistant to treatment. This means the person has not responded sufficiently to medication and/or not been able to tolerate the medication due to side effects. Insurance requires a patient try at least four different medications, one from a different class and a patient must do psychotherapy.
When resistance to treatment occurs with medications, statistics suggest that with depression each subsequent medication taken results in an even lower chance of success for the next. These patients may find relief with TMS. TMS works by sending electromagnetic pulses into those areas of the brain that contribute to the brain-based disorder. The pulses come from a device that is placed on the patient's head on the specific area to be treated. For the treatment of depression, a series of rapid pulses pass through the skull and into the brain, where they stimulate nerve cells that are typically underactive. With other disorders it may require slow pulses to treat overactive areas.
Statistics show that up to 50 percent of patients with depression respond to TMS, despite failure to benefit from medication. Approximately 33 percent of these individuals experience complete freedom from symptoms -- remission. Relief can last permanently or the patient may need to return for a shorter booster treatment at some time.
