It’s Drug-free, Non-invasive, and Gets Results
These days, anxiety can seem like a fact of life. You may feel anxious about situations at work or home, or even the state of the world. And certainly, that’s normal. But sometimes, anxiety can be more than just the day-to-day stresses of life. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, 31% of Americans will have an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
Anxiety can differ in degree, of course, but when it doesn’t go away, there may be more to the story. That type of chronic anxiety can make life unbearable. And there are many treatment options for anxiety disorder, from therapy to medications to various stress-management techniques. But what if you’ve tried all those things, yet still deal with constant anxiety? Is there any hope?
Yes. There’s no question that severe anxiety can be difficult to overcome. But there is hope. It’s called MeRT, or Magnetic E-Resonance Therapy. And we offer it here in San Diego.
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”
With generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), these thoughts and feelings don’t go away. Moreover, people with GAD experience intense anxiety, worry, or nervousness about everyday life. As a result, this can create significant problems with daily social interactions, school, and work.
GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, in any given year.
While there are many different types of anxiety disorders, as a group can cause symptoms like:
Some people may experience panic attacks, which cause symptoms that mimic a heart attack, including chest pain and shortness of breath.
If you think you might have an anxiety disorder, MeRT can provide hope and a new outlook on life.
Simply stated, we use magnetic fields to stimulate and balance brain function, guided by highly sophisticated imaging and diagnostics.
Patients with anxiety have a few markers which can be clearly seen in EEG studies — an imbalance in brainwave activity between the left and the right hemispheres of the brain, known as asymmetry.
We work to identify these asymmetries and strengthen healthy brainwave activity to reduce the symptoms of anxiety for the patient.
Give us a call at 214 305-8004 or request a consultation and qEEG with us to learn if MeRT TMS could be right for you.
MeRT stands for Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy. MeRT is a tailored, highly individualized form of TMS or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. In simpler terms, we use magnetic waves to stimulate specifically targeted areas of the brain found to not be communicating or functioning optimally.
We determine this through sophisticated diagnostic tools and imaging, which we use to plan a tailored treatment approach just for you.
We understand that MeRT is a relatively new, cutting-edge treatment. We also know that you may not be certain if this is right for your situation. But this is not a decision that needs to be made right away or all alone. Your first step would be a simple phone consultation with our New Patient Coordinator. At this time, you can discuss your symptoms and history, ask all the questions you want, and have her explain the protocols, fees, and details of treatment.
If you are interested in taking the next step in seeing if MeRT treatment is right for you, we can set up an appointment to perform an EEG (a simple, painless, and non-invasive brain scan).
This qEEG (quantitative EEG)/EKG test is used to evaluate brain activity and will show us any dysfunction or communications that are occurring. A qEEG is sometimes referred to as a “brain map” as it shows exact areas of the brain that are experiencing dysfunction. This tool is valuable as it allows us to customize treatment specifically for YOU. This test is performed by our chief neuro technician and takes approximately 45-minutes to complete, however, if you are seeking treatment for your child with autism, please plan on spending an hour with us. We will also gather your new patient paperwork at this time, and get you scheduled for your initial assessment period of treatment.
After the qEEG, we will then schedule a second appointment. This is a clinical evaluation. Your appointment can be completed via Telemedicine or in-clinic, whichever you prefer. Please note that if you choose a Telemedicine appointment and are seeking treatment for your child, your child will need to be present.
During your consultation, Dr. Groysman M.D. will answer any questions you may have and discuss your applicable treatment plan.
Six weeks of treatment is recommended for patients undergoing MeRT in order to achieve optimal and long-lasting results. However, prior to committing to the six weeks, we have each patient first go through an assessment period of treatment to see how they will respond. This assessment period is included in the six weeks of treatment.
The assessment is two weeks long. It consists of nine treatment sessions followed by a repeat qEEG. Treatment would be provided the first week, Monday through Friday, and the following week, Monday through Thursday. A typical treatment session lasts about 30-45 minutes.
Additionally, the follow-up qEEG results will be covered with you by your provider.
If clinical changes are occurring as they should, and the qEEG also shows progress, then you would then continue treatment which would occur five days per week, Monday through Friday. Generally, you will begin to feel the benefits of treatment within a week or two, but because treatment is cumulative, should continue to note improvements throughout the course of your treatment, and even for some weeks after treatment. Because treatment is consecutive, you must be able to stay in or around the area while undergoing your therapy.
For those who are not ready to commit to an assessment period, or if we need to see the results of the testing to confirm that MeRT can help, we also offer the option of coming in for a qEEG/EKG and then having a consultation with Dr. Groysman to go over the results. After your clinical consultation, you will still have the option of going through an assessment period should you choose to do so.
Improvements and results of MeRT are based on strict and active observation of our treatment protocols. Results may vary based on each person and are not guaranteed.
Because each person’s brains and conditions are unique, we customize treatment protocols specifically for each individual guided by the qEEG results. Repeat qEEGs and clinical consultations occur every two weeks throughout treatment. The effects of treatment generally last a lifetime, though some folks do prefer occasional follow-up treatment as needed.
During your treatment session, you will sit in a comfortable chair while the neuro technician administers this gentle treatment with a hand-held magnet that is held near the scalp. While you may feel a slight sensation during treatment, it is not painful or uncomfortable. Magnetic pulses are delivered for six to eight seconds during each minute of treatment.
Also, it’s important to note that the potential side-effects of treatment are minimal and should start to dissipate after you begin to progress through treatment.
It’s normal for patients and their families affected by neurological conditions to feel frustrated and isolated. After all, many have lost hope that treatment can improve the condition. And we have some understanding of what you may be going through.
However, there is hope. MeRT has helped patients restore their brain function, reclaim their lives, and feel passionate about living again. That’s why we want to help guide you through the process so that you can make an informed decision about whether MeRT is the right treatment for you or your child.
It costs nothing to call us and talk about what is happening. Our New Patient Coordinator is here for you. She understands your pain and can answer all your questions. Additionally, she can explain the process and protocols, costs, possible insurance benefits, and any other details you want to know. During this no-obligation consultation, she will take all the time you need to know whether you should take the next steps.
Give us a call at 214 305-8004 or request a consultation and qEEG with us to learn if MeRT TMS could be right for you.
We support our Veterans and War Heroes
Robert Groysman, MD, is a specialist in interventional pain management and anesthesiology who provides exceptional services at Southwest Pain Management (SPM) in Irving, Texas, for patients experiencing chronic pain. We focus on long term pain relief and improvement of function and quality of life at our practice. Our goal is not to just treat your pain, but also to get you back to doing the things you love. Some of my patients’ goals are being able to climb a flight of stairs to be able to sleep in the same room as her husband, being able to pick up your grandchild, being able to finish a round of golf, sitting in a boat to fish, and standing at a firing range for an hour or two.
If you are looking for someone who truly cares about treating your pain and getting up and about, he is the doctor for you. We combine injection therapy with medications and other treatments. We don’t offer sole opioid medication management. We treat migraines and chronic headaches, neck pain, back pain, and joint pain from arthritis. We also treat shoulder, knee, and hip pain. We also treat pain from disc herniations, sciatica, and facet joint spine pain. We have non-steroid options, including PRP, if you cannot have or don’t want steroids. We even offer a non-medication treatment for PTSD with a stellate ganglion block (SGB).
We use conservative pain management approaches wherever possible, including fluoroscopic and ultrasound-guided steroid injections and medications. We collaborate with specialists in other fields including chiropractors, rheumatologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and spine surgeons, all of whom have contributed to improving the patient experience of chronic pain.
We do so much more than pain treatments. We prescribe low dose naltrexone for fibromyalgia, we successfully treat some of the long covid symptoms such as brain fog, loss of smell, and loss of taste. We offer medical massage covered by insurance.
He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology and American Board of Pain Medicine, and a proud member of the Texas Pain Society, American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, and Spine Intervention Society.