Can TMS Therapy Cause Brain Tumors?

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy is an emerging therapy for treating symptoms that are associated with depression and anxiety. TMS treatment has revolutionized depression treatment and has brought hope for patients that fail to respond to the traditional depression treatments, including medicated anti-depressant drugs and psychotherapy sessions.

TMS is an entirely safe therapy that does not involve any surgery or general anaesthesia, and only magnetic pulses are used to non-invasively stimulate the portion of the brain that controls the mood changes and depression symptoms. The therapy sessions are usually 20-40 mins long (depending on your Bronx health provider’s experience) every day for 4-6 weeks. There are low chances for therapy relapse; however, patients might be advised follow-up sessions to avoid any chances of relapse.

TMS is not like other therapies that use magnets to treat illnesses because TMS therapy uses magnetic pulses for therapeutic benefits. The magnetic pulses pass painlessly to stimulate the brain to treat symptoms that are associated with depression. The intensity of the magnetic pulses is similar to what is produced by MRI machines.

Although, TMS is categorized as “fully safe”; nonetheless, patients commonly experience mild headache, light headedness, and facial muscle tingling after each session. These symptoms subside with time and over-the-counter medications. In rare cases, patients (usually with head injury) experience seizures.

Nonetheless, TMS therapy is often associated with major health problems, including brain tumors. Patients and their families often ask: whether or not TMS therapy causes brain tumors?

Well, this has been a long going debate, and due to the reason that TMS is a newer depression treatment, there isn’t enough evidence that can answer several essential questions related to TMS, its long-term benefits, its immediate side effects, its long-term health effects, and its relapse chances. However, we are lucky that we have a specific answer for TMS and its possibility of causing a brain tumor.

The good news is that Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy does not cause brain tumors. The magnetic fields used in TMS therapy are similar to the magnetic energy produced by MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machines. The significant advantage of TMS therapy is that the patients are exposed to only a small fraction of magnetic energy during the whole course of treatment as compared to a single MRI scan.

The treatment does not affect memory and concentration or has any adverse effects on the brain. The procedure does not cause any significant pain or discomfort. The safety of this treatment can be accessed by the fact that only less than 5% of patients that are going through TMS therapy discontinue the procedure due to its side effects. The other 95% of patients receive successful treatment with very few side effects.

It is essential to share that TMS therapy does not cause brain tumor or any other major health issue because the fear of TMS therapy’s possible health risks are a major reason why patients tend to avoid the treatment.