Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) – can also be known as rTMS

Working alongside the London Psychiatry Centre, Dr Stephanie Barrett has developed a new way to help reduce pain for people living with Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS).

The new treatment, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, TMS/ rTMS, helps to reduce pain and requires no medication. Patients need a number of sessions of the new treatment and it is found to reduce pain symptoms in many patients with FMS.

What is TMS?

TMS is a non-invasive procedure which can treat the symptoms of fibromyalgia in adult patients.

It is a treatment which is already approved for use in treating depression and has FDA approval as well as being recommended by the National Institute for Care and Health Excellence (NICE).

Dr Barrett and her colleagues have developed a way to use the same procedure to help patients with the pain that is the most common and unmanageable symptom of fibromyalgia.

Research results

A recent, in depth, large study of 90 fibromyalgia patients by Suman Tanwar, Bhawna Mattoo, Uma Kumar and Renu Bhatia

Objectives: Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS), is a chronic pain disorder with poorly understood pathophysiology. In recent years, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been recommended for pain relief in various chronic pain disorders. The objective of the present research was to study the effect of low frequency rTMS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on pain status in FMS.

Methods: Ninety diagnosed cases of FMS were randomized into Sham-rTMS and Real-rTMS groups. Real rTMS (1 Hz/ 1200 pulses/8 trains/90% resting motor threshold) was delivered over the right DLPFC for 5 consecutive days/week for 4 weeks. Pain was assessed by subjective and objective methods along with oxidative stress markers. Patients were followed up for 6 months (post-rTMS;15 days, 3 months and 6 months).

Results: In Real-rTMS group, average pain ratings and associated symptoms showed significant improvement post rTMS. The beneficial effects of rTMS lasted up to 6 months in the follow-up phase. In Sham-rTMS group, no significant change in pain ratings was observed.

Tanwar, S., Mattoo, B., Kumar, U., & Bhatia, R. (2020). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the prefrontal cortex for fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomised controlled trial with 6-months follow up. Advances in Rheumatology, 60.