State-of-the art depression clinic opening at local Wellness Centre – Portadown Times

It will be the only clinic of its kind in Ireland.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a revolutionary new treatment for patients suffering from depression.

Rather than altering brain chemistry using medications, rTMS works by directly stimulating brain tissue to induce activity in regions that have become underactive.

A series of magnetic pulses are applied with a specific pattern to emulate the firing of brain cells in the relevant pathways, which leads over time to increased communication between distant areas of the brain.

Evidence from scientific research with thousands of patients has led the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to conclude that rTMS shows consistently positive outcomes in many studies and a good safety profile.

They have recommended it for use in the UK since 2015. Yet, it remains unavailable on the NHS and can only be accessed privately.

It is typically considered for patients with treatment resistant depression, for whom medications have not proven effective.

However, it is also suitable for anyone with a diagnosis of depression, perhaps those who cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressant drug treatments.

BrainState TMS Clinic in Portadown is the only place in Ireland offering Express TMS, a type of rTMS that boasts effectiveness rates of 81%. 49% of patients show some improvement in symptoms, and 32% achieve full remission.

The technical term for this type of treatment is intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation, where rTMS pulses are applied at the brains intrinsic theta rhythm.

It is a treatment that can be administered over a 10 day period, rather than the currently recommended 4-6 weeks for standard repetitive TMS. This also substantially reduces the cost of treatment to clients.

The new clinics scientific consultant Dr Ruddy has over 10 years of experience working with TMS for research in the UK, Ireland and Switzerland.

The clinic also works with a team of experienced Psychiatrists who assess whether TMS is suitable for each client.

A full programme of Express TMS at BrainState Clinic is available at a cost of 2,000 to the private client. For more information or a free consultation email brainstate@portadownwellnesscentre.com or phone 07934 592 833.

You can also visit the website at http://www.portadownwellnesscentre.com/brainstate

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State-of-the art depression clinic opening at local Wellness Centre - Portadown Times