Deep Magnetic Stimulation Therapy
Past trauma shouldn’t rule your life, but when you have PTSD, it does. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) by BrainsWay is a non-invasive procedure that can treat a variety of mental health conditions, including PTSD. The treatment helps relieve the anxiety response to a life-threatening situation, which often manifests as a tendency to avoid places or events that could remind patients of the traumatic experience,
How Can TMS Therapy Help My PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by being involved in or witnessing extremely distressing or frightening events.
Various brain regions and their functions are affected in people who suffer from PTSD. Brain imaging studies have shown that PTSD patients have reduced brain activity in parts of the brain that control anxiety and distinguishing between past and present.
TMS stimulates these areas with electromagnetic impulses. This helps to regulate cells in the brain and bring them back to normal activity, restoring balance and stability in your brain.
Call 785-320-2908
How Does Treatment Work
Following the MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) protocol, we treat PTSD with five sessions a week for up to six weeks, then a three-week period of less frequent sessions. After a regular round of sessions, patients have reported that their PTSD and MDD symptoms are less intense and that they are much less likely to experience them.
Each person’s experience of PTSD is different, although common symptoms of PTSD you may notice improving include:
Vivid flashbacks, as if the traumatic event is being relived
Intrusive thoughts and images
Nightmares
Intense distress at actual or symbolic reminders of the traumatic event
Physical sensations, such as pain, sweating, nausea, and trembling
Extreme alertness or ‘hypervigilance’
Sleep problems
Irritability and aggressive behavior
Self-destructive behavior, such as drug and alcohol abuse
Emotional numbness
Why Try TMS Therapy for PTSD?
Patient results show significant reduction in symptoms of PTSD after completing treatment with TMS. In one study on a small group of VA patients 1 80% of participants showed a meaningful change in PTSD symptoms 2.
With each treatment session only lasting 20 minutes, the treatments can fit easily into your schedule. The treatment has minimal side effects and is covered by Tricare and VA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Can recieve TMS?
The FDA approved TMS for the treatment of depression back in 2008. TMS therapy for other conditions, including PTSD, is awaiting FDA approval. This means some insurance providers won’t provide coverage for TMS therapy for PTSD. TRICARE®, however, does provide TMS coverage for PTSD for service members.
Many patients who have PTSD have a dual-diagnosis of depression and PTSD. In these cases, we will work with you to try to treat both, with your insurance covering the treatments for depression."
How effective is TMS for PTSD?
The results show that one-third of patients experienced significant improvements in their symptoms while treating both PTSD and MDD at the same time. This is a lower response rate than for either condition (PTSD and MDD), but this is understandable, given the greater severity of the illness.
Has TMS been tested?
Katie's Way uses BrainsWay Deep TMS technology to treat patients with PTSD. BrainsWay’s treatment offers an effective, safe and non-invasive treatment that uses Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to treat PTSD. The treatment performs magnetic stimulation of brain structures and networks related to PTSD and brings significant improvement to patients.
What should I expect during treatment?
The treatment integrates seamlessly into your routine. During each session, you are comfortably seated on a chair and a cushioned helmet is placed over your head. The helmet uses magnetic fields to stimulate the targeted brain area and improve symptoms. The procedure requires daily sessions of 20 minutes for 4-6 weeks. As the treatment does not require hospitalization or anesthesia, and entails no memory loss and no systemic side effects, you can return to your normal routine after each session.
Is treatment uncomfortable?
BrainsWay is a non-invasive procedure, which eliminates the need for hospitalization. Patients may experience minor side effects such as headaches or minor pain at the site of the treatment. However, this is usually brief and ceases after the first few sessions.
Contact Jessica, our TMS Coordinator
Call 785-320-2908
Email: jallen@katieswaymanhattan.com
720 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS, 66502
United States