Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Why TMS?
NON INVASIVE
TMS therapy is non-invasive and does not use any medication.
NEW HOPE
New FDA-approved therapy for treatment-resistant depression.
NO SIDE-EFFECTS
TMS therapy is non-invasive and does not use any medication.
RESTORE BALANCE
Restore and Reclaim your old self again
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an FDA approved treatment [since 2008] for adults with treatment resistant depression, i.e. those who suffer from major depressive disorder and who have failed to find relief from anti-depressants or have side effects.
What to expect from TMS
Your doctor and you, in collaboration, will decide if TMS may be right for you. You will then meet one of our therapists who will take a full history and conduct an evaluation, which will include objective tests and scales for depression, fatigue etc. This will be done regularly during your treatment as well to monitor your progress. We will then attempt to obtain prior authorization from your insurance. Our TMS specialist and doctor will answer any questions you may have.
The Consultation:
Treatments
A doctor and TMS specialist will measure the location of treatment and determine the amount of electromagnetic pulse that will be most beneficial to you. It is done by placing the coil on your head and producing one magnetic pulse while watching for movements in the hand and fingers.
During subsequent treatments a coil will be placed on your head. The TMS machine will be set to your specific treatment measurements. You will hear a clicking noise and feel tapping on your head.
In the first few treatments patients may feel a mild headache and goes away fairly quickly.
Treatment lasts 20 minutes and are conducted daily, 5 days a week for 4-6 weeks (20-30 sessions). Some patients may benefit from maintenance therapy after their initial treatment course. Please make sure you are attend the full course of therapy to get the most benefit from treatment.
While TMS does not work for everyone, it does work for the majority of people. Results are not instantaneous and it may take 2 or more weeks to begin to notice improvement.
Results
Depression and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Many of our patients are referred to our clinic after receiving a depressive disorder diagnosis that is not improving with routine treatment. Our clinic’s specialization in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) provides a practical alternative Acute treatment for depression when medication, such as antidepressants, proves ineffective or harmful. TMS can be considered in the special population who want to avoid taking medications(e.g. pregnancy) or in elderly or medically ill who may not tolerate multiple medication trials.
Symptoms of depression cover a wide range of warnings. Low energy, fatigue, lack of motivation or concentration, irritability, sadness, inability to enjoy activities, guilt, isolation, difficulty sleeping, increase or decrease in eating, decreased sociability, worry, suicidal ideas or intentions, and thoughts of hurting yourself or others are all very common symptoms of depressive disorders.
Treating Depression with TMS
To qualify for insurance to authorize TMS treatment, the patient must generally have “difficult to treat Depression” or Treatment-resistant Depression. After approval, the patient will undergo an average of 36 total sessions. Our patients generally notice positive changes after the first 1-3 weeks, improving consistently over the process of 4-6 weeks, when the treatment concludes. After the course of 36 sessions has ended, most people will remain well for a year or few years as the benefit of TMS is more enduring than medication. TMS therapy results in long term potentiation of Neuroplasticity and many have remained on minimal medications or none. But, there will be some “tough cases” who may relapse into depression and may need a booster round of TMS therapy within 12 months. Patients with history of frequent recurrence of severe depression may prefer a “maintenance” regimen of regular TMS therapy to prevent going back into the ‘Dark zone’: e.g., weekly once or once every 2 –4 weeks. There are no definitive guidelines on maintenance treatment.