Sunday, September 4, 2016

Electromagnetic pulse treatment gives PTSD patient new lease of life

Five years ago, Dorian Mallia and his girlfriend were hit by a car while crossing the street. The woman was seriously injured but the damage Mr Mallia sustained was of a different kind altogether. Now 23, he speaks hesitantly when recalling the events of the day, and the long aftermath. "I was angry a lot of the time; I had terrible road rage that made it impossible to drive," he told The Sunday Times of Malta. "All the things I used to enjoy, playing Xbox or going out with my friends, became tedious. I had to stop my work and studies for a while. Even everyday tasks became a struggle." Mr Mallia was later diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For years he visited psychiatrists and took different medications, but nothing seemed to have a lasting effect. "I used to feel like I'd remain like this my whole life," he said. "I wanted things to change but I didn't really think it was possible." That was until a few weeks ago, when he became one of the first patients in Malta to experience a new treatment known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which uses electromagnetic pulses to kickstart areas of the brain affected by depression and related...

from timesofmalta.com http://ift.tt/2bVo7vD
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