Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Side Effects

Author m hallett 1 affiliation 1 national institute of neurological disorders and stroke national institutes of health bethesda maryland 20892 1428 usa.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation side effects.

Although tissue damage is unlikely however cognitive and other adverse effects have been observed and the possibility of unintended long term changes in brain function are theoretically possible. Scalp discomfort at the site of stimulation. Negative effects adv neurol. The side effects experienced from repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rtms are very minimal.

Side effects are generally mild to moderate and improve shortly after an individual session and decrease over time with additional sessions. Transcranial magnetic stimulation. Fregni et al 2007. Short term side effects you may experience include headaches tingling or discomfort at site of treatment and lightheadedness.

However it can cause some side effects. Upon comparison to pharmaceutical antidepressant side effects that can include. The side effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation are largely unexplored and the limits of safe exposure have not been determined except as regards the acute production of seizures. Magnetic stimulation was applied using a super rapid magstim stimulator magstim co whitland uk with a figure of eight shaped coil.

Long term effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rtms have been associated with neuroplasticity but most physiological studies have evaluated only the immediate effects of the stimulation on neurochemical markers. The rtms parameters were similar to those used in the previous studies reporting clinical effects of rtms in chronic focal pain lefaucheur et al 2004. Patients receiving treatment for mdd may report transcranial magnetic stimulation side effects that include mild to moderate headaches scalp irritation toothache or facial pain or twitching but these are transient effects that resolve without need for any medical intervention within the first two weeks of treatment.