Fortis Mohali introduces dTMS therapy, offering new hope to patients battling depression, OCD, PTSD
The therapy has already been used to treat 15 patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The dTMS was introduced so that it can penetrate deeper and stimulate areas of the brain that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) cannot reach, making it a more effective option for certain treatment-resistant conditions.
Dr Hardeep Singh, additional director, psychiatry, Fortis Hospital, Mohali, highlighted successful clinical outcomes post using dTMS.
A 40-year-old woman who had been living under the relentless grip of severe OCD for nearly 16 years, consumed by overwhelming fears of contamination, she spent hours each day performing exhausting cleaning rituals, leaving her physically drained and virtually confined to her home. Despite seeking help from several leading medical centres over the years, her symptoms persisted at an extreme level, severely impacting her quality of life. She was kept on dTMS to target deeper brain regions involved in OCD.
'Within just six weeks of dTMS treatment, her condition improved dramatically. Her Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) score, a standard measure of OCD severity, dropped significantly from 32, indicating extreme symptoms, to 13, reflecting only mild OCD. She has been able to regain control over her life, dramatically reducing her compulsions and reclaiming her independence. The therapy is revolutionising the way we treat depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders. It's a precise and safe therapy that provides long-term relief without the side effects of traditional medications,' Singh explained.
The dTMS works by delivering targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate specific regions of the brain implicated in various mental health and neurological conditions. It has shown remarkable efficacy in treating OCD, PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain, migraines, and nicotine addiction. Researchers are also exploring its potential benefits in managing Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome and autism. Patients typically undergo 20-30 outpatient sessions over 4 to 6 weeks. The treatment is completely non-invasive and does not require anesthesia, and patients remain awake and communicative throughout the session.
Dr Nishit Sawal, Senior Consultant, Neurology, said, 'dTMS is also helpful for treating post-stroke patients for aphasia and post-stroke rehabilitation. Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate. It can impact speaking, understanding, reading and writing. Aphasia is usually caused by damage to language-related areas of the brain, often due to stroke or head injury.'
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