Depression

How is depression treated?

At Braincare Performance Center - Cardiff, the team treats depression using the best leading-edge treatment therapy called MeRT. They’re strongly dedicated to customized depression care, so they believe in targeting the specific areas of your brain that are having trouble communicating. 

The first step is an advanced noninvasive measurement of your brainwave activity called a quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) and an electrocardiogram (EKG). The qEEG measures brain electrical activity and maps out the areas that aren’t communicating like they should. The EKG records your heart’s electrical signals and measures brain-heart coherence. 

People with depression usually have an imbalance in brainwave activity between the front and the back of the brain (asymmetry). Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy (MeRT), our customized form of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, seeks out and balances out these asymmetries.

Then, using FDA-cleared TMS technology, painless magnetic pulses target parts of the brain based on the results of your EEG. This strengthens your brainwave connectivity, restores the damaged areas, and relieves your symptoms without drugs or surgery.  

This treatment is a very safe and gentle therapy. MeRT is a cutting-edge treatment process that combines TMS, a Quantitative Electroencephalogram (qEEG), and an Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) to analyze and formulate treatments that are tailored to each individual’s unique brain pattern. 

MeRT is an emerging technology that aims to improve brain function and communication. The equipment used in MeRT is FDA-cleared to treat Major Depressive Disorder and OCD and is used off-label to treat a wide variety of other conditions.

What types of depression do rTMS and MeRT treat?

Major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder is what most people mean when they refer to depression. It describes a persistent low mood and symptoms like loss of interest in your usual life activities, sleep problems, weight changes, and fatigue, lasting two weeks or longer.

Postpartum depression

Postpartum depression can start during or after pregnancy. It features depression symptoms that are more intense and longer-lasting than “baby blues” and can be debilitating without treatment, affecting your ability to care for your child and yourself.

Treatment-resistant depression

Treatment-resistant depression doesn’t improve with common first-line approaches like antidepressants and psychotherapy. 

Depression with other conditions

Many people with depression suffer from other conditions, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Half of those with PTSD have depression, and half with depression have anxiety. 

Why would I need mental health treatment?

You might need mental health treatment for disorders like depression that develop because of your combat experiences and the demands of being far from your home and loved ones. Emotional problems can also affect partners and other family members.  Family members 18 years of age and older may also qualify for treatment coverage through TRICARE.

Braincare Performance Center - Cardiff offers effective, long-lasting results for mental health problems. They have impressive success rates for patients who fail to respond to front-line medication and psychotherapy treatments and those who find medication side effects intolerable.

Do you accept Insurance?

Braincare Performance Center – Cardiff welcomes patients with the TRICARE West region’s-- TRICARE Reserve, TRICARE Select, and TRICARE Prime plans. You can talk to the practice’s patient coordinator about anything you’re not clear on. They will help you to understand how using TRICARE works, including qualifying, coverage, and copays.

You can use your TRICARE insurance plan to benefit from medically necessary mental health treatment. Braincare Performance Center – Cardiff specializes in mental health care, including problems like:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

The practice also treats the effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

TRICARE coverage entitles you to receive advanced care for conditions like treatment-resistant depression using magnetic e-resonance therapy (MeRT). MeRT is a cutting-edge form of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) that more precisely targets the affected brain areas.

MeRT is drug-free and noninvasive. It uses gentle magnetic stimulation to activate areas of your brain that don’t function as they should. The effects on patients with major depressive disorder are often significant, even when other treatments have made little difference.

What can I expect from MeRT?

Before beginning MeRT, you will start with a Brainwave Recording. This includes an electrocardiogram (EKG) and a quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) to evaluate the brain’s electrical function and assess brain-heart coordination.

MeRT treatment typically lasts 4-8 weeks. You visit Braincare Performance Center – Cardiff every weekday for a 30-minute session, with follow-up EEGs and evaluations every ten treatments to see how well your brain responds to the treatment.

Call Braincare Performance Center – Cardiff to learn more about benefiting from TRICARE MeRT mental health treatment. You can also request an appointment online at any time.

Braincare Performance Center - Cardiff accepts TRICARE®, including TRICARE Select, TRICARE Prime, and TRICARE Reserve for patients 18 and older. Insurance covers rTMS for depression. To learn more, call the office or book an appointment online today.