TMS Therapy

TMS is a noninvasive procedure used for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder, for people who have not responded to conventional forms of treatment such as therapy or medication. While the exact cause of depression is unknown, the most agreed-upon theory is that it stems from neurotransmitter imbalance in the brain. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that allow brain cells to communicate with each other.

During a session of TMS, an electromagnetic coil is positioned near the patient’s forehead against their scalp. A magnetic field is then activated to stimulate areas of the brain that may show reduced activity for those experiencing depression.

With TMS, friends and family will typically notice effects in 1-2 weeks, and patients notice the difference within 4 weeks.

Treatment with NeuroStar Advanced Therapy:

RCMHC conducts TMS Therapy with Neurostar Advanced Therapy. With over one million treatments performed, treatment is easy:

• Therapy sessions are conducted in your doctor’s office
• You can return to normal activities right away
• You are awake during treatment
• There are no negative effects on memory or sleep
• It’s covered by most health insurance plans, including Medicare and Tricare

Transcranial magnetic stimulation operates using a targeted magnetic field, comparable to what’s used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). While awake, the area of the patient’s brain (that typically shows low activity for depressed people), is stimulated using NeuroStar TMS Therapy.

What to Expect with NeuroStar Treatment:

Before treatment: you’ll recline comfortably in the chair and a curved magnetic coil will be placed in contact with your head

During treatment: NeuroStar delivers magnetic stimulation to target areas of the brain. Expect to hear a clicking sound and a tingling, or tapping sensation.

After treatment: Normal activities of the day can be resumed right away, and because there are memory or alertness side-effects you can drive yourself here and back for each treatment session.

NeuroStar TMS Therapy typically takes 19-37 minutes and is performed 5 days a week for around 4-6 weeks.