TMS Therapy

What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy
TMS therapy is a noninvasive brain stimulation therapy that utilizes electromagnetic pulses as a way to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008. For users, this therapy may help quell symptoms associated with neurological or mental health disorders, including depression, which this therapy is most often used to treat. Infact, TMS is often successful for those who haven’t responded to traditional treatments, including antidepressant medication or psychotherapy. Better yet, recent research says that TMS may help treat other disorders, including anxiety and Parkinson’s disease.
How does TMS therapy work?
TMS is considered a repetitive therapy. It works by sending the brain repetitive electrical impulses, which is why it’s also called Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or rTMS. It’s performed by a professional, called a TMS technician or a TMS physician. The procedure is done in an outpatient setting, usually within the confines of a medical clinic. If your provider does TMS therapy inside a hospital, you’ll be able to go home afterwards. There’s no need to stay overnight.


What happens during a TMS session?
First of all, before the procedure begins, you’ll be asked to take off anything sensitive to magnetization, such as jewelry. Then, your provider will hand you a pair of noise cancelling earbuds to soften the “clicking sound” produced by the magnetic pulses of the therapy. You’ll be led to a comfortable chair where you’ll sit and wait for TMS to begin. There’s no need for general anesthesia as TMS isn’t an invasive or surgical procedure. You’ll be awake and aware the entire time, which is often of comfort to those who are new to the therapy. Next, your provider will take some measurements of your head. This is done to ensure the magnetic coil is put in the right place. Then, the coil is placed near your forehead at the front of your brain and the therapy begins. Even with the earbuds you’ll likely hear the “clicking noise” and you’ll feel a tender tapping from the coil. An hour later the treatment ends and you’re invited to drive home on your own and resume your normal daily life. Moving forward with TMS means you’ll do more than one session. A course of treatment usually lasts about a month and consists of up to five sessions a week. But, all of your specifications are worked out with your provider and are dependent on your response to the treatment and to what you need to achieve.
