Common Side Effects of TMS Therapy

Going through TMS therapy is an alternative way to relieve the symptoms of your severe depression. Your psychiatrist can also recommend this treatment for other issues. This approach is non-invasive. Even so, you may still experience some short-term side effects. If you want to find out what the common TMS side effects are, here are the details.

Headaches

Patients may sometimes repost headaches after a TMS session. This could happen early during the treatment. It often results from the lack of accommodations to the tapping feeling from the magnetic pulses. This type of headache can go away by frequent exposure to magnetic pulses.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can also relieve headaches. Patients who often have moderate headaches can take the pain relievers about 30 minutes before getting the therapy. The psychiatrist can adjust the intensity of the magnetic pulses to avoid this discomfort. Headaches are not that bad enough to quit the therapy sessions.

Scalp discomfort

TMS involves placing magnetic coils on specific areas of the head. This direct contact can result in scalp discomfort around that area. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers can reduce the pain. This pain often subsides after the session.

Lightheadedness

Fainting is a rare side effect. It is common among younger or anxious patients. The feeling is like fading into a blackout. This may be a result of neural stimulation, intense anxiety, and blood pressure drops during treatment. Patients can bring a friend or family member to talk to while undergoing TMS. Watching TV or listening to music can help counter this as well.

Facial twitching

This is the movement of the jaw and eyelid during brain stimulation. It may also happen after the session. Facial twitching results from the excitation of the superficial muscle contraction and nerve branches. Most patients can tolerate the twitching. This reaction fades over time.

Reduced hearing

Loud noise can reduce a person’s hearing. Ear protection can shield the patient’s hearing during TMS. Protecting the ears is also important for the device operator and the others present during the therapy. Doing so can reduce the risk of possible hearing loss.

Hypomanic symptoms

This is a rare side effect of TMS therapy. The psychiatrist and the team will watch the patient for any symptoms of hypomania during or after the treatment. Early signs of mania include irritability and agitation. The treatment will stop if the patient does exhibit such symptoms. Then, the psychiatrist will call in the patient for follow-ups until the manic symptoms go away.

Seizures

This is also rare during therapy. Seizures may result from the direct stimulation of the adjacent areas of the brain. The excitation spreads to the motor cortex. The psychiatrist will watch out for the movement or twitching in the right hand. This will make sure the brain stimulation does not lead to seizures.