首次提出為TMS (Transcranial magnetic stimulation) 經顱磁刺激，不需手術為非侵入性，人體腦部刺激。概念緣起1980年左右，Barker醫學物理工程博士，探索利用磁場來改變大腦信號路徑。約1985年期間，開發出第一款穩定的TMS。美國FDA於2008年批准TMS設備技術。隨著科技進步，證實了以連續或重覆性的脈衝形式刺激大腦會變更神經路徑，因此演變為rTMS重覆經顱磁刺激(repetitive Transcranial magnetic stimulation)。
The rTMS is known as Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, well that is a mouthful of professional medical term to remember, hence we normally call this treatment by its abbreviation: rTMS. Though the first time I heard about this term from my coworkers, I have totally zero idea of what it is. I was lucky enough to be offer a free rTMS treatment by the manager of my company, in return I was asked to compose this review of my firsthand experience.
The rTMS treatment is claimed to be a noninvasive brain stimulation treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorder, which can achieve several therapeutic results, such as decrease anxiety, depression and sleep disorder. In some extreme cases it can help to bring back a person with suicidal thoughts in mind. I guess this is why our company treat us employees a free trail, for us to relief from our daily workload.
Since it can help with different symptoms, that means the treatment can be customized according to each person’s condition. The consultant will ask you to fill out a survey to evaluate your current condition, and adjust the treatment accordingly. Questions in the survey includes what is your current stress level? What is your regular sleeping time? How long is your sleep? Those questions seem normal to me until I saw the last few lines: “Do you have suicidal thoughts recently?” “Have you ever consider taking action on your suicidal thoughts?” My thought was I wouldn’t be here writing this survey if I did take that kind of action…
After the survey I was led the treatment room where there is an electric massage chair… “Oh the treatment includes full body massage as well?” It was a bit of disappointment when the consultant’s reply was negative. We use such chair is to help clients to be in a comfortable position to relax the entire body, as well as maintaining the head in the right position to receive the transcranial magnetic wave on the same spot of your skull.
Before the treatment began, the consultant reviewed my survey and explained the procedure to me. My problem is mainly about my sleep quality, as I often feel I just can’t get enough sleep. My problem is not too severe, therefore my treatment only requires 30 minutes.
Before the treatment start, I was given a swimming hat to wear, this will push down the hair and eliminates empty space between the magnetic wave generator and the skull, so that the wave can efficiently hit the right spot. Then the nurse will come in and do some measurement on top of the swimming hat you wear. This determines by your survey and which part of your skull will the wave hit, for me it was on the left side.
Once everything is set, I was left alone in the room with curtains down, lights off and a pair of ear plug blocking all the noise. I laid there comfortably in the chair, with the machine on top of my head firing magnetic wave to my skull. There was a burst of loud noise from the machine with each shot fired, I was there ready to have a good nap, but the burst of repetitive noise was still audible even with earplugs. The sensation I got from the magnetic wave also prevented my to fall into deeper sleep, it was not painful or anything, but there was a sense of numbness every time a shot was fired. At first the sense was pretty intense, but after a few minutes of repetitive shot fired, the sensation felt less intense. As time passed, I reached a meditative state, where I was in between asleep and awake, my body totally relaxed and my mind was running on auto pilot, I was letting all kinds of random thoughts come and pass.
I do not remember how long it was, but in the latter half of my treatment, the spot where the wave was hitting didn’t feel anything, I thought the power have been turn down automatically, or did I move and miss the spot. I decided to shift my head a bit to the right, and instantly I felt the intense numbness on the right side of my head. Ok, it was still working, so I got back to my original position till the end of the treatment.
Once the treatment ended. Lights on, curtains up and I was awake again, but I felt the whole body was tired and sleepy. Luckily, I can go back home straight away to rest instead of going back to work again. After the treatment I felt light headed, body limbs were heavy, stomach empty and hungry. After I got home, ate some dinner and went to sleep after a hot shower, 9PM was the time I hit the bed.
當初做rTMS的目的是因為近年遇到不少人生重大的轉變，原本是公司中成績不錯的業務後來因為組織變動而遭到裁員，又剛買房子，感情上和家人在溝通上出現一些問題等等較複雜的狀況讓身心一時之間無法負荷，去諮商又不知道從何說起甚至我習慣在就醫的時候下意識的裝沒事，這樣醫師或諮商師根本無法探詢我內心真正的問題，但放著不管後，雖然在生活中上述的狀況都解決也上了軌道,但內心仍出現躁鬱和自我懷疑等等的複雜狀況，甚至會衝動購物讓自己心靈得到暫時的緩解，我想透過rTMS來讓自己的大腦混論的思緒透過電流的重整得到有效的改善。
當初做rTMS的目的：因為介於中年轉職考，辭職工作狀態完全準備考試；內心感到無比徬徨不安及伴隨焦慮感不適，也查詢到rTMS也可提升專注力及改善情緒上的焦慮憂鬱情形，到永生樹求診醫生諮詢，然後開始接受了rTMS的治療。
今天體驗了rTMS跨顱磁刺激治療。
本身是設計師，每天都要處理各種設計案件，以及面對千變萬化的客戶，焦慮與失眠也漸漸吞噬我的生活，間接影響在設計創作上的表現。從身心科到心理諮詢都跑遍，而因為非常抗拒藥物治療，上網搜集資料，原來歐美流行rTMS物理治療，專業醫學稱『重覆經顱磁刺激』，為了讓自己好記就稱腦部磁刺激。在網羅台灣rTMS非侵入式物理治療診所的資料時，大部分都是主打憂鬱症，厭惡許多醫生為了賺錢老是把心情不好或失眠說成憂鬱症的前兆。唯獨在台北這家DR.永生樹診所，是客觀的寫出rTMS是可以針對心情調節與失眠做改善，而非只有憂鬱症的選項，也強調不開任何藥物。看完資訊後，放心的打電話預約。
The rTMS is known as Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, well that is a mouthful of professional medical term to remember, hence we normally call this treatment by its abbreviation: rTMS. Though the first time I heard about this term from my coworkers, I have totally zero idea of what it is. I was lucky enough to be offer a free rTMS treatment by the manager of my company, in return I was asked to compose this review of my firsthand experience.
我本身就是一位很淺眠的人，只要聽到一點聲音就會醒，之後就很難再繼續睡，當我聽到rTMS這台是治療失眠困擾時，我深感懷疑這種機械真的能夠幫助我淺眠，每天忙碌的我感覺沒有一天是能好好地放鬆休息睡覺，可能因為這樣導致我身體變得很容易感冒，過敏變得嚴重，嘴巴容易破洞，時不時覺得沒胃口，所以我抱著深感懷疑的態度去嘗試做了rTMS，但我先說我不是憂鬱症我只是淺眠無法讓大腦好好放鬆，所以才去做的。
近一年來因為在生活中有多方面的變化，以致原本的睡眠困擾變的更加嚴重，甚至是完全失眠，白天仍然需要工作，一段不短的時間後，不只臉看起來憔悴，落髮也相當明顯，可以與產後落髮的狀況相比了…開始將問題檯面化後，嘗試過助眠的香芬噴霧，簡易的瑜珈伸展/冥想，看中醫，喝完整整2罐的睡眠奶粉，都是無效，可能因為本來就滿有睡眠障礙的…
