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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy is a lesser-known treatment for Major Depressive Disorder. Though many think of antidepressants as the only solution, TMS Therapy offers impressive results for treating depression symptoms. This FDA-cleared treatment is non-invasive and pill-free. Read on to learn more about TMS Therapy.

How Does TMS Work?

TMS uses magnets to stimulate the left cortex of the brain, which is related to mood. The Mayo Clinic offers an overview of TMS, stating, “The electromagnet painlessly delivers a magnetic pulse that stimulates nerve cells in the region of your brain involved in mood control and depression. And it may activate regions of the brain that have decreased activity in people with depression.” Some may worry about the length of a TMS treatment session, however, they vary in length but one session typically lasts about 30 to 40 minutes.

Why Use TMS?

In addition to avoiding the negative side effects of antidepressants, TMS is an effective treatment for those who are not responding to medication. It has been proven to be effective in 60%-70% of patients in clinical studies. Additionally, an article in Mental Health Daily states, “Researchers concluded that TMS is an effective option for those who don’t respond to pharmaceutical antidepressants. An estimated 37% of patients experienced complete remission, and patient self-reports (PHQ and the IDS-SR)  also revealed substantial symptomatic improvement.”

One factor that makes TMS so appealing is that there are very minimal side effects. Johns Hopkins Medical Center highlights this point, stating, “These are mild and generally diminish over the course of the treatment… About one-third of patients may experience painful scalp sensations or facial twitching with rTMS pulses. These too tend to diminish over the course of treatment although adjustments can be made immediately in coil positioning and stimulation settings to reduce discomfort.”

TMS Therapy Providers

One of the most common questions patients ask is if TMS is covered under their insurance plan. The short answer? Yes! Because TMS is FDA-cleared, insurance will likely cover the treatment.

We proudly use a NeuroStar TMS machine, which has been clinically proven to be both safe and effective.  The NeuroStar website highlights these facts, stating, “NeuroStar TMS Therapy for depression has the largest clinical data set of any TMS treatment. Clinical studies with 800 patients have shown that NeuroStar TMS Therapy can help achieve remission for patients living with depression. For many patients, depression symptoms significantly improved or went away after 4 to 6 weeks of treatment with NeuroStar TMS Therapy:

  • 1 in 2 patients experienced significant improvement
  • 1 in 3 patients became symptom-free”

In a separate NIMH-funded study, patients treated with TMS using the NeuroStar TMS System were four times more likely to achieve remission compared to patients receiving sham treatment. Read about the trial here.

TMS Therapy for Depression

If you believe that you or a loved one are a good candidate for TMS, we would be happy to answer your questions! Please contact Strive Psychiatry by calling:

801-494-1922 (Utah Residents)

702-291-2967 (Nevada Residents)

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