An outpatient visit with one of our ECT physicians will help determine if ECT is right for you. All patients need to be referred by a physician through the call center at Augusta University Medical Center. (Office-Scheduling) 706-721-6597
Full Answer
How much does ECT treatment cost?
With eight as the average number of treatments, this means a course of ECT treatment will usually cost between $2,400 and $6,400. The cost of ECT is at least partially reimbursed by most insurance plans offering coverage for mental disorders.
What are the benefits of ECT treatment?
What you can expect
- Before the procedure. You'll have general anesthesia. ...
- Anesthesia and medications. You may receive other medications, depending on any health conditions you have or your previous reactions to ECT.
- Equipment. ...
- Inducing a brief seizure. ...
- Series of treatments. ...
How many ECT treatments are needed?
Typically the ECT treatment course lasts eight to 12 treatments -- sometimes as few as six, sometimes as many as 15 treatments can occur in a course. Your doctor will determine how many you need depending on your response. After patients have received a course of ECT they're usually placed back on medication.
Is ECT an Ethical Treatment?
Since ECT is considered to be an established treatment, it can be used as an active comparator in a noninferiority paradigm, avoiding the ethical dilemma of treating very ill patients with a placebo treatment.
When is ECT administered?
ECT treatment is generally administered in the morning, before breakfast. Prior to the actual treatment, the patient is given general anesthesia and a muscle relaxant. Electrodes are then attached to the patients scalp and an electric current is applied which causes a brief convulsion. Minutes later, the patient awakens confused ...
How many people are treated with ECT?
Today, ECT is administered to an estimated 100,000 people a year, primarily in general hospital psychiatric units and in psychiatric hospitals. It is generally used in treating patients with severe depression, acute mania, and certain schizophrenic syndromes.
What is ECT in medical terms?
What is ECT? Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure in which a brief application of electric stimulus is used to produce a generalized seizure. It is not known how or why ECT works or what the electrically stimulated seizure does to the brain.
Is ECT a long term treatment?
After 60 years of use, ECT is still the most controversial psychiatr ic treatment. Much of the controversy surrounding ECT revolves around its effectiveness vs. the side effects, the objectivity of ECT experts, and the recent increase in ECT as a quick and easy solution, instead of long-term psychotherapy or hospitalization.
Is ECT a history of abuse?
The nature of ECT, its history of abuse, unfavorable medical and media reports, and testimony from former patients all contribute to the debate surrounding its use. Research should continue, and techniques should be refined to maximize the efficacy and minimize the risks and side effects resulting from ECT.
Is ECT effective after a relapse?
It is also unclear whether or not ECT is effective. In some cases, the numbers are extremely favorable, citing 80 percent improvement in severely depressed patients, after ECT. However, other studies indicate that the relapse is high, even for patients who take medication after ECT.
How often do you have to do ECT?
ECT requires a series of treatments, often initiated two to three times a week for a few weeks and then the frequency is tapered down. As the treatment course progresses, short-term memory loss for things recently learned is not uncommon.
How long does it take to get an ECT?
The ECT procedure takes around five to 10 minutes to perform, not including preparation and recovery time. The day before the procedure, you would be placed on dietary restrictions, typically with no food or drink allowed after midnight and only a sip of water permitted in the morning to take medication.
Is electroconvulsive therapy safe?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for certain psychiatric disorders such as major depression, catatonia, certain types of psychosis, and sometime for bipolar mania .
Is ECT scary?
While ECT is a scary concept to most people, by understanding the procedure and what to expect, you can make a more informed choice if the treatment is recommended for you. Overview of Electroconvulsive Therapy.
What is ECT?
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a depression treatment that involves the stimulation of the brain with a controlled electrical current.
What Does ECT Treat?
ECT treats severe resistant depression and although it is exactly unclear to scientists and researchers how ECT is so effective, it has proven to be quite effective.
How Effective is ECT for Depression?
Over the past 2 or 3 decades, research has shown that about 47% to 75% of patients who have undergone the procedure have fully recovered from their depressive symptoms.
Side Effects of ECT
Electroconvulsive Therapy is a generally safe treatment for depression but like every other treatment, there are a few side effects.
ECT vs Other Treatment Options That Work
Depression is one of the easiest mental illnesses to tackle today because there are many treatment options.
How We Can Help You
TMS is the future of depression therapy and we are excited to be a part of this movement.
What is ECT therapy?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can help patients suffering severe depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health illnesses when medications and other therapies are not working. ECT treatment can provide rapid improvement for patients whose mental illness and related symptoms are severe and difficult to manage.
What are the risks of ECT?
ECT can also be an option for more vulnerable patients, including: 1 Pregnant women 2 Older adults 3 Those unable to tolerate medication side effects 4 Those at-risk of drug interactions
What Is ECT?
Electroconvulsive therapy is an approved and regulated mental health treatment for people with psychological issues that are not well-managed with other interventions. ECT uses electrical current to “rewire” the brain in a safe and comfortable way (actually, the anesthesia and muscle relaxants don’t rewire the brain.
What Can Electroconvulsive Therapy Help With?
With the ability of ECT to reset or rewire the brain’s activity, the treatment can help with a range of symptoms and conditions. Whether a person has been struggling with a mental health condition for decades or they are experiencing a new or worsening symptom, electroconvulsive therapy could offer relief that is quick and effective.
How Does ECT Work?
Even though ECT is completed to help with mental health concerns, the process may feel more like a medical procedure. In many cases, providers perform the treatment in an acute care hospital under the supervision of medical and mental health professionals.
Is ECT Effective?
ECT is very effective, but the treatment may not be equally effective for all symptoms and situations. Overall, for a certain subset of people who cannot use psychiatric medications or have mental health conditions, like chronic depression, intense bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, ECT is a valid treatment option worthy of consideration.
Cost of Electroconvulsive Therapy
Because ECT is a medical procedure that requires the time, space, and resources of several medical professionals, the treatment is expensive, especially when compared to medication or therapy services. One ECT treatment can cost as much as $1,000, while a year of antidepressant medication costs just a few hundred dollars. 7
History of ECT
The principles of ECT date back to the 1930s when neuropsychiatrists and neurologists explored the relationships between seizure activity and mental health issues. In 1938, Ugo Cerletti first used electricity as a way to trigger a seizure. 6
How to Find an Electroconvulsive Therapy Provider
Because ECT is not as widely available as therapy or medication services, a person may have to look deeper to find an ECT provider. There may not be a national directory of ECT providers, but someone interested in ECT can refer to an online directory or complete an online search for local ECT providers.
Departments and specialties
Mayo Clinic has one of the largest and most experienced practices in the United States, with campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Staff skilled in dozens of specialties work together to ensure quality care and successful recovery.
Research
Mayo Clinic's electroconvulsive therapy research group is part of the Consortium for Research in ECT, a federally-funded multisite research initiative. Current projects include investigating the efficacy of ECT and methods to prevent relapse.
What is ECT therapy?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment that sends a small electric current to your brain to cause a seizure. The seizure affects the chemicals in your brain, which may make your brain cells work better.
How long does it take for ECT to go away?
ECT may cause memory loss and confusion. Your confusion may go away in a short time, such as 1 hour after your treatment. You may lose your memory for 1 to 3 weeks, and some memories may be lost forever.
Can you fall after ECT?
If more ECT treatments are planned for you, ask the healthcare provider to give you medicine before the treatments to help prevent headaches. There is a greater chance that you will fall after ECT treatments . Ask someone to help you when you want to stand up or walk.
Why It's Done
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can provide rapid, significant improvements in severe symptoms of several mental health conditions. ECT is used to treat: 1. Severe depression,particularly when accompanied by detachment from reality (psychosis), a desire to commit suicide or refusal to eat. 2. Treatment-resistant depression,a severe depression that doesn't improve with medications o…
Risks
- Although ECT is generally safe, risks and side effects may include: 1. Confusion.Immediately after treatment, you may experience confusion, which can last from a few minutes to several hours. You may not know where you are or why you're there. Rarely, confusion may last several days or longer. Confusion is generally more noticeable in older adults. 2. Memory loss.Some people hav…
How You Prepare
- Before having your first ECT treatment, you'll need a full evaluation, which usually includes: 1. Medical history 2. Complete physical exam 3. Psychiatric assessment 4. Basic blood tests 5. Electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart health 6. Discussion of the risks of anesthesia The…
What You Can Expect
- The ECT procedure takes about five to 10 minutes, with added time for preparation and recovery. ECT can be done while you're hospitalized or as an outpatient procedure.
Results
- Many people begin to notice an improvement in their symptoms after about six treatments with electroconvulsive therapy. Full improvement may take longer, though ECT may not work for everyone. Response to antidepressant medications, in comparison, can take several weeks or more. No one knows for certain how ECT helps treat severe depression and other mental illness…