TMS Therapy
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive medical treatment that uses electromagnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. It is primarily used to treat depression and other mental health conditions when other treatments, such as medication and psychotherapy, have not been effective.
How does TMS work?
During a TMS treatment session, an electromagnetic coil is placed against the scalp. The electromagnetic delivers a pulse that stimulates nerve cells in a region of the brain that is involved in controlling mood. For depression we stimulate the “dorsolateral prefrontal cortex”, one of the major control centers of the brain. Stimulation of this region is thought to enhance its control of various symptoms of depression.
Because TMS uses magnetic pulses, patients must remove any magnetic-sensitive objects (jewelry, hearing aids, credit cards) prior to treatment. Patients are required to wear earplugs during treatment for their comfort and for hearing protection, as the TMS device produces a loud clicking noise with each pulse. Patients are seated in a comfortable chair and are awake for the entire session.
TMS occurs in a series of treatments. The treatments can vary in length from 3 minutes to 40 minutes, depending on the type of TMS utilized. A typical course of TMS includes at least 30 treatments. Depending on the number of treatments per day, the TMS protocol will last either 1 week or up to 6-8 weeks.
TMS does not require any sedation or anesthesia. Patients are fully awake and aware during the treatment. There is no “recovery time” so patients can drive to and from the appointments and return to their usual activities as soon as the treatment is completed.
