Using TMS For Fibromyalgia: Pain Related Depression

Sometimes the pain becomes so unbearable that you cannot perform your daily tasks. No matter what you try, you cannot seem to find relief. If this sounds like you, it may be time to consider TMS therapy for fibromyalgia. This new therapy shows promising results in reducing chronic pain in patients with fibromyalgia.

Here's what you need to know about this non-invasive treatment and whether it can help you with your fibromyalgia symptoms and chronic pain.

A chronic condition called fibromyalgia causes discomfort in several areas of the body, such as joint cavities, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. It has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety.

Experts believe fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting how a person's brain and spinal cord process painful and non-painful signals.

Fibromyalgia may have several causes, including gender, genetics, complicating conditions, and psychological stress.

• Gender: Fibromyalgia is significantly more common in women.
• Genetics: Fibromyalgia is more likely to occur with a family history.
• Auto-Immune Disorders: If a person has auto-immune disorders, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus, their likelihood of developing fibromyalgia increases.
• Psychological or Physical Trauma: Fibromyalgia symptoms usually develop following physical trauma, surgery, serious infection, or severe psychological stress. In other cases, the symptoms gradually worsen without a triggering event.

If you have fibromyalgia, you know the fatigue and pain well. But did you know that this chronic condition can also lead to depression? Studies have shown that people with fibromyalgia are more likely to suffer depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions.

Fibromyalgia causes unceasing, persistent pain and lack of sleep, which significantly impairs a person's quality of life and sense of well-being. But the never-ending difficulty of living with a health condition people don't commonly understand can also result in mental or emotional challenges, leading to disorders such as depression and anxiety.

The most common treatment for Fibromyalgia is medication. Typical medications include:

• Analgesics (Pain Medications)
• Anti-Depressants
• Anxiolytics (Anti-Anxiety Medications)
• Anti-Convulsant Medications

These medications may not always be practical, cause adverse side effects, or lead to dependence.

If you're struggling with depression and fibromyalgia, there is help available. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a safe and effective treatment for depression that is also helpful for people with fibromyalgia.

TMS therapy is a painless, FDA-approved procedure that applies high-frequency pulses to target specific brain regions to treat depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. TMS does not require medication or anesthesia, has no known side effects, and is covered by most insurance plans.

If you have tried other treatments to manage chronic pain and depression associated with fibromyalgia but have not found relief, you may be eligible for TMS therapy.

TMS is currently FDA-approved for treating severe depression, but research shows TMS can be used for chronic pain as well. However, TMS is considered off-label because it has not yet received approval from the FDA. A strong base of ongoing clinical research shows promise that may soon lead to FDA approval.