Shock treatments have been used for a long time in the treatment of severe cases of Depression. There is an ongoing controversy surrounding the methodology of the treatment and the after effects of the procedure over time. ECT- Electroconvulsive Therapy is also known as “shock” therapy. We will take a look at the procedure itself and how it is performed. We will also discuss the after effects of the procedure. Finally we will discuss a few options that are available for treatment of Depression. Shock treatments for Depression are still used but rarely now.
The Procedure
Prior to the procedure a general anesthetic and a muscle relaxer are administered. Electrodes are place on the head and well-controlled electrical pulses are emitted. If this procedure is done correctly a seizure will take place. During a seizure muscles tend to stiffen, but because the patient has been given something to relax the muscles movement is only seen in the hands and feet. The patient wakes up in minutes after the procedure.
Side Effects
When the patient does awaken they will be somewhat confused. The patient will also have no memory of the procedure or events surrounding the procedure. The procedure can be prescribed from once a month to once every three months. There are side effects that can occur with multiple shock treatments. Memory loss and movement disorders can result from the procedure. There may also be seizure activity from these treatments.
Alternative Treatments to Shock Treatments for Depression
Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is done where a very small pace-maker like device is placed in the chest. Regular electrical pulses are delivered along the Vagus nerve that runs from the neck to the brain. It is thought that this nerve may have a part in controlling Depression. The purpose of this procedure is to stimulate the nerve and provides some relief of depressive symptoms.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an experimental procedure but many hospitals and clinics do offer the treatment. The doctor holds a magnetic coil that has electrical pulses passing through it. This coil is passed over the scalp and the pulse actually goes through the skull and stimulates the brain’s nerve cells. Though this is experimental it has the potential of becoming a very precise treatment.
Herbal Supplementation has been a practice that ancient tribes and Shaman have used through the centuries in tribal rituals as well as in healing. In treating Depression, specific herbs are known to positively affect your mood and are blended in a formula and administered most typically in capsulated form. High quality supplements will have gone through a rigorous process of approval. The metabolic path of the ingredients is studied at the molecular level in the best supplements and the interactions of the ingredients are studied as well.
When people have had a tough day, they often treat themselves to a massage. A massage therapist rubbing and manipulating muscles can be great for taking care of pain, relieving stress, and helping someone relax and settle down. For people with pain, the idea of a massage may not seem like it is going to be enough to really penetrate muscles to get to the source of pain. A trip to the pain clinic can help because they use something called electrotherapy to treat pain, and these special treatments are just like a massage but a lot more intense.
A Pain Clinic Can Treat Pain With Various Methods
The idea of getting electric shocks can actually sound quite scary, and there have been enough movies about people getting zapped with electric shocks. The portrayal of electric shock therapy seems painful because people have to bite on something and the electricity makes their whole body jerk and convulse. Movies do not accurately portray electric shocks, and the kind that a pain clinic may use is nothing like how it is portrayed in movies. People with chronic pain do not have to worry about being zapped and fried by electricity because that is not how it works, and here is more information on what will happen when people use electrotherapy for pain relief:
• A full body massage with electricity: There may be a pain clinic in the area where people live that does offer massages, but human hands cannot go as deeply as they need to go, which is deep within the muscles and dense tissues. With electrotherapy, electrode pads are placed on various parts of the body, and then mild electrical impulses are sent into the body. People with pain issues love to get this therapy because it actually does do a lot more for them then a regular massage.
• A special machine is used for the therapy: A special TENS machine is what is used to deliver the electricity to the body, and the only place that have these machines are medical offices, pain clinics, and physical therapy specialists. To prevent injury, specially trained people have to use these machines, so they are not just available to anyone.
• Patients feel no pain with electrotherapy: The idea of electricity going to the body can make some people think that they are going to feel pain, and often times, are scared of the treatments. However, with the therapy, there is absolutely no pain, and in fact, people often say that the electricity feels good because of how deep into the tissue that the treatment provides.
There are many ways that people can treat pain, and a pain clinic can use electricity to help people find some relief from the constant pain they are in. With electrotherapy, electrical impulses are put into the muscles, and the tissues get a deep penetration that is very effective for pain relief. People with pain should not be afraid, the electrotherapy is done with a special machine called a TENS machine that is handled by experts, and people will not feel anything but their pain going away.
Physical Therapy – A List of Methods Often Used by Experts
Physical therapy is the medical practice of treating diseases, injury or physical deformity through medical methods that do not necessarily require drugs or surgery. Some of these methods are easy to go through while some would seem unusual to most people. Some of the commonly used methods are as stated below.
• Manual Therapy: The most common method used by health specialists in this field is manual therapy. This involves using such methods as massage and stretching to stimulate the body to enable it to move with ease. Manual therapy should be used immediately after assessing a problem and should be done majorly when the body muscles are involved.
• Use of Ice: Ice is used majorly as a substitute for manual therapy or in conjunction with it. It is used in physical therapy when swelling occurs since it relaxes blood vessels and thus prevents further swelling. It also helps in cooling a patient allowing for introduction of other methods which would be more effective.
• Heat Treatment: Heat is used mainly for injuries to the muscles causing tightness. Going with the law that when things are heated they stretch medical expert uses this method to make the tissues flexible hence be able to stretch the muscle.
• Physical Exercise: Anything done apart from daily practices can be considered as exercise. These include jogging, stretching to reduce stress on muscles and weight lifting. Exercises help improve flexibility, strength, speed, and body coordination. After any injury and treatment, one should do regular exercises to improve muscle efficiency. It is always healthy to maintain a regular exercise program as most therapists would advise.
• Laser Therapy: This method involves using light or laser technology to reduce swelling and pain. This in turn allows a therapist to be able to work on the affected area without necessarily bringing pain to the patient. It is majorly used in physical therapy for muscular or tissue injuries deep within the skin.
• Electrical Stimulation: The use of electric shock on the human body is known to have bad effects but in this case it has beneficial effects. When the human body is subjected to a mild electric current the sensations within the point of contact are lost and it is possible to move the said part. In physical therapy a patient who has gone through a very damaging experience is given a painless mild electric shock causing a muscular contraction. This in turn leads to restored movement or full movement to the muscles. However it is not always a successful procedure.
• Traction: This is a method of physical therapy that involves separating the spinal cord to allow nerves room and give the discs more moving space. This is a good method because it is not time consuming and in the long run as one grows older the spine does not lose support as fast as it should have. It is mainly used for those who experience back pains or pain when they turn in their abdominal region.
• Use of Ultrasound: Almost like laser therapy, it involves using sound waves to penetrate deep into the body tissues causing a heating effect inside the tissues thus softening them up. This enables a therapist to use manual therapy or encourage the patient to do some aerobics.
Physical therapy therefore doesn’t involve many visits to the doctor. It can be done from the comfort of your home. It is therefore a natural way of medical treatment with exception to the likes of laser therapy, electrical stimulation and use of ultrasound. Not only is it economical but with methods such as exercise one can also end up having a healthier lifestyle and enjoy life more.