Magnetic Therapy for Depression

The condition of depression encompasses various aspects of the mental state of a person, as well as involves the physical health. It mainly deals with the thinking pattern, feeling, and behavior of a person. Depression extensively hampers day-to-day activities, and causes the affected person to develop a sheer negativity towards life.

This condition is usually not taken seriously, and people believe that it can be solved with a few words of encouragement. However, depression is a chronic illness, and requires attention as well as long-term treatment.

Every cell in the human body is surrounded by an electromagnetic field. Due to certain factors, this field gets disrupted or misaligned, and gives rise to various problems including the symptoms of depression. Magnetic therapy helps in realigning this field, and reducing the severity of the condition.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a type of magnetic therapy that involves the use of an electromagnetic coil. The coil is placed against the scalp near the forehead. The magnetic pulses that are produced by this method are painless, and they help in stimulating the neural regions associated with depression, and mood control. Such a treatment is usually recommended in cases where the standard treatments fail to deal with depression.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a variant of TMS, and involves the administration of magnetic pulses in rapid succession. This technique makes use of a device, which is held close to the head of the patient. This device starts stimulating the areas of the brain which are known to trigger depression. However, these methods are still under study with respect to their efficacy.

Certain side effects may be experienced during, or after, the administration of magnetic therapy. However, they are short-lived and mild in nature. The common ones include:

• Lightheadedness
• Slight discomfort at the scalp area, during the treatment
• Tingling sensation in the facial parts
• Facial spasms

Seizures, mania, or hearing loss may occur in rare cases.

It is essential for the patients to convey all the relevant information regarding their health, to the respective doctor, so as to prevent any complications. This information could be about pregnancy, metal parts or medical devices implanted in the body, and detailed medical history, especially if it includes conditions like seizures, mania, etc.

Data from clinical trials revealed that the use of magnetic therapy was effective in almost 90% of the cases. Some individuals felt the effects immediately, while some took years to experience the benefits. The recovery and effect of the therapy largely varies with each individual case, since every individual is exposed to different social and emotional environment. However, according to experts, this method could be helpful in dealing with the causes behind depression as well.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.