HOUSTON — There’s a treatment for depression that involves no medication. Instead, patients wear a helmet to stimulate parts of the brain.
Dr. Raymond Cho is a psychiatrist who has spent several years specializing in neurostimulation.
“It is so effective. We’ve seen success story after success story of people who have been frustrated with other treatment for one reason or another,” said Cho, psychiatrist with Houston Mind and Brain.
Deep TMS is FDA-cleared. The helmet creates a magnetic field that is pulsed through the skull. It targets different parts of the brain depending on what you’re trying to treat.
It’s also used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder. Most recently, Deep TMS short-term smoking addiction treatment was cleared by the FDA in 2020. It is currently available at select providers across the country.
The treatment for depression involves 20 minute sessions, five days a week for the first month. Then sessions are reduced to twice a week for another two months. Clinical trials found it is 60% effective in helping people with treatment resistant depression.
“About 15 days after, I felt the best I’ve felt in as long as I can remember. Literally,” said Richard Felty who owns a roofing company in the Houston area.
He has struggled with depression for the last decade.
“It is a life changing, hands down, no question. I have nothing invested in this except maybe I can help somebody change their life the way it’s done for me.”
Dr. Cho says there’s no cure for conditions like depression and OCD. The results typically last six to 12 months.