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The brain is still not well understood, nor is the reason for the treatment effects ECT (shock) therapy has on some individuals. It is known that ECT affects hormones, neuropeptides, neurotrophic factors, and neurotransmitters in the brain. All of this may come together to explain how ECT works in treatment.
How does ECT (shock) therapy work?
Shock therapy, method of treating certain psychiatric disorders through the use of drugs or electric current to induce shock; the therapy derived from the notion (later disproved) that epileptic convulsions and schizophrenic symptoms never occurred together.
What is shock therapy used for in psychology?
A small number of patients are placed on maintenance shock therapy. This means they return to the hospital every 1-2 months, as needed, for an additional treatment. These individuals choose shock therapy because it can keep their illness under control and help them lead a normal and productive life.
What is maintenance shock therapy and how does it work?
How Shock Therapy Feels. You will likely experience short-term memory loss around the time of the procedure. With multiple treatments, this may increase. Adverse cognitive effects tend to be the most concerning factors around ECT and tend to affect the frequency and duration of treatments and whether ECT is offered at all.
What does shock therapy feel like?
How does wet sock treatment work?
The treatment involves wearing a pair of wet, cold socks to bed and letting your body work during the night to warm your feet and dry the socks out. In order to do this, your body increases circulation to the feet which helps to decrease congestion in the head and chest.
What is sock therapy?
Shock therapy is an economic theory that says that sudden, dramatic changes in national economic policy can turn a state-controlled economy into a free-market economy. Shock therapy is intended to boost economic production, increase the rate of employment, and improve living conditions.
How do you do magic socks?
Directions:Soak the pair of thin socks in the bowl of ice water. Then wring the socks out thoroughly so they do not drip. ... Take a hot foot bath for 5-10 minutes. ... Dry off feet and body with a dry towel.Place ice-cold wet socks on feet. ... Leave socks on overnight (or remove when socks are dry).
How do warming socks work?
The “warming” sock treatment focuses on increasing circulation to the feet. By increasing blood flow to the feet, overall circulation of blood and lymph are improved. This in turn impacts upper body congestion and the immune system. This is a great home treatment when you get that “am I getting sick?” feeling.
Does ECT cause brain damage?
The review of literature and present evidence suggests that ECT has a demonstrable impact on the structure and function of the brain. However, there is a lack of evidence at present to suggest that ECT causes brain damage.
Can ECT make you worse?
ECT can't prevent future depression, or fix any ongoing stresses or problems that are contributing to how you're feeling. Some people have very bad experiences of ECT, for example because they feel worse after treatment or are given it without consent. You might not want to risk the possibility of getting side effects.
Can you microwave wet socks?
But it's not really made for cooking and at best, you've gone and destroyed your socks. No socks are made of microwavable materials. Sure, you could slide a wet sock over a slab of frozen meat and zap it good with the microwave.
What is cold sock therapy?
Although the treatment is cold, it's known as a “heating compress” because it's up to the body to heat the cold, wet socks. Blood circulation is increased in reaction to the cold, which increases the body's immune system — a natural way of fighting off the flu or cold and other conditions (see list below).
Should I sleep with socks on?
Wearing socks to bed may help you fall asleep faster and snooze better during the night. Research shows that thawing out icy feet can adjust your body's core temperature to put restful ZZZs within reach.
Do wet socks help you sleep?
If you've been having trouble falling asleep, one of the natural ways of enhancing the overall quality of your sleep is wearing wet socks to bed. This is because the treatment will stimulate circulation, which will, in turn, cause a sedative effect that will help you sleep.
What is shock therapy?
Shock therapy, known medically as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), is a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder, and other psychiatric conditions. ECT is generally offered when other treatments are ineffective or there is a need for rapid response.
Why do you need to be strapped to the table during a seizure?
When shock therapy was first used 80 years ago, patients needed to be strapped to the table to keep them from moving during the seizure. Today, an anesthesiologist will give you a muscle relaxant to keep your body from shaking uncontrollably, reducing the risk of injury.
How does ECT affect the brain?
ECT may also impact the neurons in other ways, such as by stimulating the development of new brain cells or connections, or by affecting the electrical activity in the parts of the brain that are associated with mood regulation.
How long does it take for ECT to show improvement?
Most people who undergo ECT will see a noticeable change in their symptoms. Some people will notice an immediate improvement after one session. However, it is more common to not see or feel a significant difference in symptoms for several sessions.
Why do people use shock therapy?
The most common reason for shock therapy is severe treatment-resistant depression. However, ECT is also considered a treatment option for bipolar disorder, catatonia, and schizophrenia. It is sometimes used to help reduce agitation in people with dementia.
How long does an ECT last?
During ECT, electrodes are attached to the scalp, and the brain is briefly stimulated to induce a short seizure (lasting less than a minute). A person is under anesthesia and has been given medications to relax their muscles, so they do not feel any discomfort during the session.
How many days a week is ECT?
An ECT treatment regimen will typically include sessions two to three days a week for a total of six to 12 treatments. The schedule works out to about one month of treatment, although the course may continue for longer.
How does shock therapy work?
shock therapy, also called Electroshock Therapy, Electroconvulsive Therapy, or Ect, method of treating certain psychiatric disorders through the use of drugs or electric currentto induce shock; the therapyderived from the notion (later disproved) that epileptic convulsions and schizophrenic symptoms never occurred together. In 1933 the psychiatrist Manfred Sakelof Vienna presented the first report of his work with insulin shock. Until the discovery of the tranquilizing drugs, variations of insulin-shock therapy (also called insulin-coma therapy) were commonly used in the treatment of schizophreniaand other psychotic conditions. With insulin-shock treatment, the patient is given increasingly large doses of insulin, which reduce the sugar content of the blood and bring on a state of coma. Usually the comatose condition is allowed to persist for about an hour, at which time it is terminated by administering warm salt solution via stomach tube or by intravenous injection of glucose. Insulin shock had its greatest effectiveness with schizophrenic patients whose illness had lasted less than two years (the rate of spontaneous recovery from schizophrenia also is highest in the first two years of the illness). Insulin-shock therapy also had more value in the treatment of paranoid and catatonic schizophreniathan in the hebephrenic types.
How does electroshock work?
Bini, has been widely used in treating disturbances in which severe depressionis the predominant symptom. It has been particularly recommended for manic-depressive psychoses and other types of depression. The technique is essentially that of passing alternating currentthrough the head between two electrodes placed over the temples. The passage of the current causes an immediate cessation of consciousnessand the inductionof a convulsive seizure. In general, electroconvulsive treatments are given three times a week for a period ranging from two to six weeks; some acutely disturbed patients, however, have been given as many as two or three treatments in a single day.
How effective is insulin shock?
Insulin shock had its greatest effectiveness with schizophrenic patients whose illness had lasted less than two years ( the rate of spontane ous recovery from schizophrenia also is highest in the first two years of the illness). Insulin-shock therapy also had more value in the treatment of paranoid and catatonic schizophrenia than in ...
What is insulin shock therapy?
Until the discovery of the tranquilizing drugs, variations of insulin-shock therapy (also called insulin-coma therapy) were commonly used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions. With insulin-shock treatment, the patient is given increasingly large doses of insulin, which reduce the sugar content ...
What is the purpose of electroshock therapy?
Electroconvulsive, or electroshock, therapy, introduced in Rome in 1938 by U. Cerletti and L. Bini, has been widely used in treating disturbances in which severe depression is the predominant symptom.
What is an encyclopedia editor?
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. ...
Is electroconvulsive treatment more effective than schizophrenia?
Electroconvulsive treatment was more successful in alleviating states of severe depression than in treating symptoms of schizophrenia. Psychosurgery,...
How long does a seizure last?
The seizure typically lasts less than one minute.
Why do doctors use ECT?
Doctors these days are much more hesitant to use ECT than passed, if for no other reason than because people are typically opposed. In addition, ECT is required by law to be used only by your consent or under the most severe conditions, such as: 1 To save your life 2 If urgently needed to prevent a rapid worsening of your condition
How many people die from ECT?
Only about 1 in 10,000 (or 10 per 100,000) people who have ECT die from it. The U.S. suicide rate, at 12 per 100,000 people, is higher. At least 133 in 100,000 people die of a heart attack. Surgery always carries a risk; even liposuction has a mortality rate of 20 in every 100,000 people.
What is the result of ECT?
The result is that they respond more positively to cues in their environment. The amygdala, the structure in the brain involved with experiencing emotions, also changes structurally following ECT. These changes are currently being studied to understand better why ECT helps certain people and not others.
How long does it take for a person to recover from ECT?
One benefit is that it works much faster than medical therapy alone. Usually, there are dramatic improvements within six treatments, about two weeks after beginning ECT. In fact, people with depression or mania may recover completely after only one to two treatments.
What is shock therapy?
Shock therapy is a type of treatment for chronic mental conditions. This treatment involves passing electrical currents through the brain to trigger a seizure.
How to change your mind about ECT?
If you want to change your mind about having ECT, you can talk to your doctor about stopping the treatments. Likewise, if you feel significantly better and believe that the shock treatments have reached maximum effectiveness for you, you can approach your doctor about discontinuing treatments.
How to get rid of congestion in your body?
5. Go to bed and cover up with warm blankets. 6. While you sleep the “magic” socks will dry as your body has to heat up and increase circulation during the night. When you wake both pairs of socks should be completely dry. 7. Repeat for 3 nights or until fever and congestion have cleared.
How to thaw frozen socks?
3. Remove frozen cotton socks from freezer and allow to thaw until you can bend them. Place cold/wet cotton socks on feet. 4. Pull dry wool socks on over cotton socks (as they will help to wick away the moisture during the night). 5. Go to bed and cover up with warm blankets. 6.
How long to freeze cotton socks?
At bedtime: Wet the cotton socks in cold tap water and wring out really well. until they are not dripping. Flatten and place in freezer for about 5-10 minutes.
What is the magic sock treatment?
The warming sock treatment is an at-home hydrotherapy treatment best known for its amazing ability to speed recovery from just about anything that ails you!
What is TMS and VNS?
TMS and VNS are two neuromodulation techniques that are an alternative to ECT.
Why was the VNS developed?
Researchers originally developed VNS to treat seizure conditions. However, they realized that it was also an effective treatment#N#Trusted Source#N#for depression. Before stimulating the vagus nerve, a doctor places an electrode under the skin of a person’s chest.
How does ECT work?
ECT uses electric currents to stimulate a person’s brain to induce a controlled seizure. Researchers do not exactly know how ECT works, but one theory is that it could regulate neurotransmitter activity. This article looks at how ECT works, whether it is an effective treatment, and its controversial history. It also discusses some alternative ...
What is ECT therapy?
ECT can be an effective therapy for treatment-resistant mental health conditions, including depression , schizophrenia, and catatonia.
Why is ECT negative?
The negative perceptions of ECT originate from previous misuse and the historical lack of consistent administration of general anesthetics or muscle relaxants. Furthermore, when healthcare professionals first introduced ECT, many people did not consent to the therapy.
How to treat ECT?
When a person receives ECT treatment, a doctor will first administer general anesthesia and a muscle relaxant. The doctor will then wait for the anesthesia to take effect before they begin the electrical stimulation. They will also place a bite block in the person’s mouth to stop them from biting their tongue.
Why do doctors recommend ECT?
However, doctors recommend ECT for some people because it is low risk and carries few side effects. Researchers are still not sure how ECT works, but they understand that it has many effects on the brain, including increasing blood flow and triggering the release of neurotransmitters and hormones.
How does ECT shock work?
The most widely accepted theory is that ECT causes the release of large amounts of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the brain and improves the depressive symptoms. We know that depression is caused by a deficiency in these neurotransmitters.
How long does ECT shock therapy last?
ECT shock therapy is performed under general anesthesia. The procedure lasts only 40 seconds and involves the delivery of a small amount of electric current to the head unilaterally or bilaterally, which causes a lowering of the seizure threshold and induction of seizure activity in the brain.
What is ECT therapy?
The clinical term is Electro-Convulsive Therapy hen ce (ECT). Since This article, they reviewed the proposal and decided to maintain it’s classification; however, this is an interesting area of psychiatry and a good opportunity to discuss this procedure used to treat major depression.
When was ECT shock therapy introduced?
The amount of electricity used has decreased since ECT shock therapy was introduced in the 1930’s which has helped reduce the side effects. At the same time, the patient will have electrodes placed for the ECG machine, so that, his or her heart function is observed at all times.
What is it called when you have electrodes placed on both sides of the brain?
Stimulation of one side of the brain with the electrodes is called unilateral electrode placement; and when electrodes are placed on both sides of the brain, it is called bilateral electrode placement. The different placement is for different illnesses and severity of illness.
Why do people have to alternate days?
Alternating days help to reduce the amount of memory loss that people may have . This article on ECT Shock Therapy is for informational purposes only and not for diagnosing or treating any medical condition.
Why don't we use ECT?
We don’t often use ECT because of the many new medications which are very effective. Unfortunately, ECT shock therapy has had a stigma attached to it as being Barbaric; especially after movies like One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. ECT is therefore underutilized. Actually ECT is the gold standard of antidepressant treatments.
How to keep socks on for a long time?
Be sure to wring the socks out thoroughly so they do not drip. Place cold wet socks on feet. Cover with thick wool socks. Go directly to bed and cover yourself warmly with blankets - avoid getting chilled. Keep the socks on while you rest, for a minimum of 30 minutes.
How to warm your feet?
Warming can be accomplished by soaking your feet in warm water for at least 5-10 minutes or taking a warm bath. Dry off feet (and body) with a dry towel. Take a pair of cotton socks and soak them completely with cold water. Be sure to wring the socks out thoroughly so they do not drip. Place cold wet socks on feet.
How to treat a swollen foot?
1 pair white cotton socks. 1 pair thick wool socks. Towel. Warm bath or warm foot bath. Directions: This therapy should be timed for when you are about to go to bed or take a nap. Warm your feet first. This is very important as the treatment will not be as effective and could be harmful if your feet are not warmed first.
How to treat sore throat?
Directions: This therapy should be timed for when you are about to go to bed or take a nap. Warm your feet first. This is very important as the treatment will not be as effective and could be harmful if your feet are not warmed first.
What is magic socks?
Magic Socks: A Naturopathic Therapy for the Immune System. Magic Socks acts to reflexively increase circulation and decrease congestion in the upper respiratory passages, head, and throat. It has a sedating action and many patients report that they sleep better during the treatment.
How To: Sock Treatment
This old remedy is usually recommended at the first signs of cold and flu and is designed to stimulate the immune and lymphatic system. It works to “heat compress” the body’s natural temperature control to warm the socks.
A sock treatment is one of the most unique and effective recommendations often included in a naturopathic care plan
This old remedy is usually recommended at the first signs of cold and flu and is designed to stimulate the immune and lymphatic system. It works to “heat compress” the body’s natural temperature control to warm the socks.
Mechanism
- The brain is still not well understood, nor is the reason for the treatment effects ECT (shock) therapy has on some individuals. It is known that ECT affects hormones, neuropeptides, neurotrophic factors, and neurotransmitters in the brain. All of this may come together to explai…
Preparation
- A full physical is generally needed before shock therapy. Because general anesthesia will be administered, one should not eat or drink 8-12 hours before the shock treatment. This helps to prevent any vomiting during the procedure. Other exams like an electrocardiogram (ECG) may also be given before ECT to ensure the procedure is safe and appropriate.
Treatment
- Shock therapy is performed in a hospital, sometimes in an area specifically set aside for this treatment. An intravenous (IV) is inserted to provide anesthetic medication. Vital signs are taken initially and continuously throughout the shock therapy treatment. An anesthesiologist administers anesthesia and after you are asleep, places a tube in your throat to help you breathe…
Results
- When you awake from the anesthesia, you may be confused and tired. You will likely experience short-term memory loss around the time of the procedure. With multiple treatments, this may increase. Adverse cognitive effects tend to be the most concerning factors around ECT and tend to affect the frequency and duration of treatments and whether ECT is offered at all. Your vital si…
Uses
- It is most common to see shock therapy used in severe cases of depression. Shock therapy is also performed to improve the condition of the following disorders:1
Risks
- The complications associated with ECT / shock therapy are often related to electrode placement with bilateral placement (an electrode by each temple) typically showing greater unwanted cognitive effects than unilateral placement (one electrode at the temple and the other on the forehead). Risks of shock therapy include slow heart beat (bradycardia) and rapid heartbeat (tac…
Prognosis
- Shock treatment for depression often produces a dramatic improvement in symptoms, especially in elderly individuals, sometimes during the first week of treatment. While it is estimated many of these patients will experience a future return of depression symptoms, the prognosis for each episode of depression is good. Mania also often responds well to shock treatment. The picture i…