Overview

Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or Deep TMS, has been shown to safely and effectively alleviate the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly those patients who have not achieve sufficient improvement from traditional treatment options.

The treatment utilizes a magnetic field emitted by BrainsWay’s patented H7-coil to directly reach broader and deeper brain regions than its predecessors, regulating the neural activity of brain structures associated with OCD – specifically the anterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex.

A peer-reviewed multicenter clinical study found Deep TMS to be a highly effective treatment, with more than one in three treatment-resistant OCD patients achieving “response”, greatly improving their quality of life.

As a non-invasive procedure, Deep TMS is a well-tolerated treatment that does not cause any adverse or long-lasting side effects. It does not require a significant recovery period, and the 18-min treatment can easily be integrated into each patient’s day-to-day schedule.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Key Points

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a mental disorder defined as a combination of anxiety-inducing thoughts and behavior. OCD can be time-consuming, create significant distress on the individual facing it and take a toll on family, friends, and colleagues.

The condition’s two main components are ruminative thoughts (“obsessions”) and the actions meant to soothe them (“compulsions”).

Obsessive Thoughts: OCD usually arises from distressing, repetitive thinking. Common categories that fuel OCD-related anxiety include:

  • Cleanliness and fear of contamination.
  • Worrying about disastrous events.
  • Focusing on organizing, counting, symmetry, or “just right” thinking.
  • Taboo thoughts or mental rituals.

Compulsive Behavior: When battling OCD, many patients develop compulsive, ritualistic behavior as a way to suppress their stressful thought content – for example, excessive hand washing.

While these compulsive behaviors are meant to help reduce anxiety, in time they are incorporated into the individual’s obsessive OCD patterns, until they begin inducing stress themselves. This creates a cycle of thoughts and actions that exhaust the individual experiencing them, causing them a great deal of despair.

OCD Demographics: According to the DSM V, OCD occurs in 1.2% of the population. While females are found to be affected at a slightly higher rate than males, males are more likely to develop OCD during childhood.

Possible Causes for OCD: OCD has been found to be associated with a number of risk factors, such as genetics, environmental factors, temperament and critical life events. Those with OCD also often battle additional mental health conditions, with three in four having a history of anxiety disorders, and nearly one in two battling depression.

Walk in Today or Call now to book an appointment

for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) only at your Alabama Clinics: 334-712-1170