Interventional Psychiatry
The Summa Health Behavioral Health Institute uses procedural-based treatments to help alleviate mental distress. This type of treatment often is used once traditional treatments, much as medication, have failed. Examples of interventional psychiatry include electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and esketamine intranasal therapy.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Electroconvulsive Therapy, or ECT, is a medical treatment that has evolved over decades and continues to play an important role in behavioral health care. It delivers brief controlled electrical pulses to the brain which intentionally trigger a short seizure. This therapy is used to treat severe mental illnesses, especially when other treatments including medications have not been effective.
ECT often is used for depression. It is a treatment option if the patient is suicidal and can’t wait a few weeks to see if medications work, or if the side effects from medications are too severe. It can also have benefits for mania and catatonia.
Typically, a patient needs 4 or 5 treatments to start feeling better, and family and friends may see improvements before patients. A full ECT program usually involves anywhere from 6 to 12 treatments with a maintenance schedule of 1 – 2 treatments per month following. Each patient will have their own schedule of initial treatments and maintenance schedules set down by their ECT provider.
Side effects of this treatment include:
- Memory loss (may be temporary and limited to short-term events such as the morning of the treatment or may extend to events from weeks or months prior to the treatment)
- Headaches
- Body aches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
To learn more about ECT, call 330.379.5555
Watch our video to see how ECT works and the patient experience.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Treatment
For patients with major depressive disorder who have not achieved remission through typical treatment methods, Summa Health Behavioral Health Institute (LINK) provides NeuroStar Advanced Therapy Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
Treating Depression at Its Source
Brain activity is reduced in depression. TMS is a safe and effective noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields, similar to that of an MRI, to stimulate the natural function of the brain’s neurotransmitters for long-lasting symptom relief. It’s:
- Non-drug
- Non-invasive
- FDA- cleared
Summa’s TMS team typically treats patients five days a week for four to six weeks. Covered by most insurance plans, each treatment takes between 20 and 45 minutes with no anesthesia required. Most patients report no cognitive side effects. The most common side effect is temporary pain or discomfort at or near the treatment site.
TMS is not recommended for patients who have non-removable conductive metal in or near the head. We encourage all patients to continue to see their psychiatrist, therapist and primary care physician as scheduled during and following treatment.
Spravato™
More than 16 million adults in the U.S. are affected by depression. While a variety of antidepressant medications help people, about one-third of patients don’t respond to treatment.
Spravato™ nasal spray is a different kind of medication taken with an oral antidepressant for adults with treatment-resistant depression. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in March 2019, this drug represents the first truly new kind of depression drug since Prozac arrived in 1988.
Patients take Spravato™ twice a week for the first month. During the second month, patients take it once a week. After that, patients will take it once a week or once every two weeks. The oral antidepressant will continue as well.
Spravato™ is prescribed only by specially trained healthcare providers and provided only at certified healthcare facilities, like Summa Health Behavioral Health Institute. After you take Spravato™, a healthcare professional will monitor you for at least two hours during the observation period for possible side effects. You may not be able to drive yourself home.
Serious side effects can include:
- Sedation and disassociation
- Risk of abuse or misuse
- Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior
- Increased blood pressure
- Problems with thinking clearly
- Bladder problems
- Additional side effects include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Spinning sensation
- Reduced sense of touch and sensation
- Anxiety
- Lack of energy
- Vomiting
- Feeling drunk
If you’ve struggled with depression and tried two or more antidepressants in your current episode without adequate relief, talk to your doctor to see if you have treatment-resistant depression.
When discussing treatment with Spravato™, be sure to tell your doctor about your complete medical history, including if you have a history of abusing prescription or street drugs or a problem with alcohol. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant. Your doctor will discuss the possible side effects of Spravato™ so that you can decide together if Spravato™ is right for you.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call 844.303.3331.