Two of the most standard treatments for mental health conditions are medication and psychotherapy—these are typically the first two options your physician or clinician will recommend to you.
However, they are not necessarily right for each individual. Many of our patients approach our clinicians because they do not achieve relief with either of these treatments and need an alternative option.
If you have personally struggled with either medication or therapy, your healthcare provider may have recommended that you try brain-stimulating treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
These treatments aim to resolve your mental health symptoms at the source—your brain. Here, we compare TMS vs. ECT—including the pros and cons of each—to help our patients make an informed decision about their mental health treatment. For more information about TMS versus other types of treatments, schedule a consultation with Scott A. Fleischer, MD PC & Associates.
ECT is a brain-stimulating treatment that is one of the oldest mental health treatments in the world. It has been around for centuries to treat a variety of mental health conditions—including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, mania, and others. ECT stimulates your brain by inducing controlled seizures with electrical currents.
Despite this terrifying description, ECT is a safe procedure refined over centuries and considered painless due to anesthesia. Qualified professionals can even administer it safely to pregnant women. ECT is highly regulated and has strict guidelines to ensure safety. It is a low-risk, effective option when other treatments fail or in cases of severe impairment.
This treatment is performed in a clinical or hospital setting. A licensed healthcare practitioner will give you anesthesia through an IV to make you sleep. Electrodes are placed on your head and chest to deliver the controlled currents. Each session lasts about five to ten minutes, followed by an hour of rest and monitoring.
ECT offers a few benefits to patients, including the following:
However, it also offers some drawbacks, such as:
Along with ECT, TMS is another brain-stimulating treatment highly recommended for patients who do not respond well to medication or therapy.
TMS is a relatively modern treatment, having only been in practice since the mid-1980s. However, it has been developed and studied since the 1700s.
During treatment, a TMS device is applied to your scalp, corresponding to specific brain areas that regulate emotions, mood, and behavior. Electromagnetic waves are emitted through this device.
These waves penetrate your scalp and skull to activate your brain—safely and in a highly controlled manner. These waves wake up your brain, activate your cells, and promote increased activity and functioning.
Despite its relative newness compared to ECT, TMS has been highly developed through extensive clinical research and offers hope to patients unresponsive to medication or psychotherapy alone.
Patients are relaxed and comfortable throughout the treatment as electromagnetic waves stimulate brain neurons. As soon as their NeuroStar TMS treatment ends, patients can resume their usual daily living activities without hassle.
NeuroStar TMS offers a variety of benefits for our patients. Here are just a few of them:
Some patient groups are not appropriate for NeuroStar TMS, and it is vital that a medical professional carefully evaluates you to ensure that you are suitable for this treatment. Schedule a consultation with our clinicians to discover if this treatment is right for you.
Ultimately, choosing between ECT and TMS depends on your mental health condition, treatment goals, and unique, individualized needs.
Consult a mental health specialist to determine if ECT or TMS is best for you. At Scott A. Fleischer MD PC & Associates, we can provide the guidance you need to make an informed decision about your mental health treatment.
Schedule a consultation today and discover how you can find lasting relief from depression, OCD, and anxious depression.
