Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects up to 50 million people in the USA. The affects of the disease on the person with MDD, their family and co-workers/employers can be devastating. Time away from family and activities, lost work days and productivity, and side affects of conventional treatment are some of the costs associated with MDD. There is a relatively new treatment for MDD which was described in a television news segment which aired on March 22, 2011 on KCNC, Channel 4 in Denver.
This treatment is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation TMS or rTMS). NeuroStar TMS therapy is a FDA cleared treatment for major depressive disorder. TMS has also been used clinically in off label treatment and in clinical research to treat a wide variety of other neuorlogical and neuro-psychiatric conditions, including: chronic pain, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phantom limb pain, depression associated with Parkinson’s Disease, post partum depression, tinnitus, auditory halucinations, and other conditions.
The NeuroStar TMS therapy system has been available in Colorado since November 2009 through the TMS Center of Colorado, LLC, located in Denver. This center was the first in Colorado (and the Rocky Mountain Region) to treat patients using this state of the art technology. There is hope for those suffering from MDD and other conditions.