What exactly is TMS therapy?
TMS stands for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, which in simple terms means certain specific parts of your brain are being stimulated using magnetic pulses. This is similar to the technology behind and MRI, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging. During the depression treatment, the prefontal cortex is stimulated, which indirectly modulates deeper reward centers in the brain associated with depression.
What exactly happens during these 20-minute TMS therapy sessions?
Once the patient arrives, he or she will sit in a comfortable chair and put in earplugs (to avoid the tap-tap sound of the treatment). At this point a device will be placed over the patients head. Once they are comfortable, a cushioned helmet will be placed over the patients head, and the TMS certified technician will make sure it is situated properly to ensure maximum and effective transcranial magnetic stimulation of the proper brain structures.
Once the session begins, there will be a loud ‘tap-tap-tap’ sound emitted from the helmet every 20 seconds. The patient does not “feel” these taps, except for the vibrations on the helmet. The transcranial magnetic stimulation does not hurt. The session last twenty minutes. Once it is over, the patient can immediately return to their daily routine, and can drive home or back to work on their own.
This ‘brain stimulation’ sounds scary. Does it hurt or cause side effects?
TMS therapy is non-invasive, non-systemic, and has not been shown to cause any systemic side effects. There is no anesthesia, and patients can drive home afterwards on their own, and return to their daily routine right away. Depression treatments can be administered at outpatient facilities and don’t require any hospitalization. During the 20-minute treatment session, the magnetic pulses emit a tap-tap-tap sound, which may cause temporary headaches during the treatment. However, once the patient completes the session, lingering effects generally diminish quickly afterwards.
How long does TMS Therapy take?
The individual TMS therapy sessions last 20 minutes. For the initial 4-5 weeks, patients undergo these twenty minute sessions 5 times a week. After that, ‘booster’ session are given once a week for another month or two. The specific TMS treatment timelines vary with each patient.
How do I know if TMS Therapy is for me?
As with all major medical decisions, the first thing you should do is speak with your doctor. TMS therapy has been proven to be especially helpful for patients with treatment resistant depression, or TRD. If you have already tried one or two antidepressants to try and manage your depression but are still not satisfied, Brainsway’s TMS therapy may be the treatment option for you.
Will I be able to stop taking antidepressants after TMS therapy?
While most patients continue taking antidepressants after successful TMS therapy, some patients were able to discontinue their antidepressant intake. This is something that is investigated on a person by person basis and would be a conversation you have with your doctor based on each personal case of major depressive disorder.
How is this treatment different from ECT?
Electro convulsion therapy is a treatment based on using electricity to induce seizures. Transcranial magnetic stimulation, on the other hand, uses magnetic pulses to non-invasively stimulate specific brain regions associated with major depressive disorder. ECT requires anesthesia and has serious side effects, including memory loss. TMS therapy can be performed at an outpatient facility, requires no anesthesia, and has no systemic side effects. In reality, TMS therapy is not at all like ECT.
Is TMS therapy covered by insurance?
TMS therapy is currently covered by over 80% of insurance providers. If you’re interested in learning more about your personal coverage, you can call the Deep TMS Center at 1 844-386-7001.
