Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

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Recommended: Cultural diversity in healthcare

For the past few centuries western medicine has made significant improvements in medical technologies; however, as the pendulum swings we are obliged to remember that eastern medicine has been prevalent for numerous centuries. Eastern medicine includes many medical avenues that are slowly becoming more popularized in the western world. For example, I have noticed therapies such as acupuncture becoming much more accepted that in previous decades. Moreover, in the past year I have learned a great deal about the therapeutic effects of magnets, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) which is also known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).

During the later part of the 19th century magents were used to induce neuronal activity; however, in the later part of the 20th century, Barker and his colleagues illustrated that magnetic stimulation in human motor cortexes produces depolarization of cortical areas (Eitan, & Lerer, 2006). TMS is a noninvasive therapeutic technique where an electromagnetic coil is put above the awake patient’s scalp and then magnetic pulses are moved throughout the brain (George, Lisanby, & Sackeim, 1999). The magnetic pulses and coil combine to create an electrical activity in the cortical tissue which can cause localized neuronal depolarization. Not only has TMS been the topic of many recent research studies, but deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (deepTMS) has also been researched to decipher the effectiveness for treating depression. DeepTMS is when the coils have been designed to create a more intense electrical field deep in the brain tissue. DeepTMS uses several separate points of projection around the periphery of the brain while minimizing the electrical charge to the br...

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... to western medications. Moreover, the United States continues to become more multicultural with people moving here from other countries. Therefore, it si our responsibility to be able to not only actively participate in conversations about alternative therapies, but I also believe that we should be able to perform alternative therapies which are in our scope of treatments. In conclusion, I intend to learn more about using TMS with my future clients.

Works Cited

Ernst, E., & Resch, K. L. (1995). Concept of true and perceived placebo effects. British Medical

Journal, 311, 551-553.

Matthews, E. (2005). Mind. Key Concepts in Philosophy. London: Mathews E. Continuum.

Rhodes, A. E., Lin, E., & Streiner, D. L. (1999). Confronting the confounders: the meaning,

detection and treatment of confounders in research. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 44,

175-179.

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