About NeuroStar® TMS Therapy
NeuroStar uses transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to target key areas of the brain that are underactive in people with depression. It is not ECT (electroconvulsive therapy).
TMS is a non-drug, on-invasive, FDA cleared product that provides proven relief from depression, that lasts. And since there is no medication, there are no medication side effects.
Treatment with NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is easy:
- Therapy sessions are conducted in your NeuroStar 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
With more than three million treatments delivered, this novel treatment approach to achieving remission is bringing new hope to people every day.
What is NeuroStar Advanced Therapy (TMS)?
TMS, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, is a non-drug, non-invasive, FDA cleared product that provides proven relief from depression, that lasts. And since there is no medication, there are no medication side effects.
Treatment with NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is easy:
- Therapy sessions are conducted in your NeuroStar 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
With more than three million treatments delivered, this novel treatment approach to achieving remission is bringing new hope to people every day.
How NeuroStar TMS Therapy Works
Do I qualify?
If traditional therapy and medications treatments (2 or more medications*) are not working for depression relief, you may qualify for TMS treatment.
*Number of medications you must have tried varies by insurance providers. Contact us to see if your insurance will cover you.
Day of first Treatment:
You will be seated comfortably in the NeuroStar chair here in our office. A licensed psychiatrist, trained in TMS will fit a cap on your head. This “mapping” session will last about 45 minutes. This cap is only used in the initial mapping session.
Ongoing Treatments:
You will visit the clinic daily for about a month. Visits those days will last approximately 20 minutes, depending on your individual needs. During those visits, NeuroStar TMS delivers focused magnetic stimulation, about equal to that of an MRI, directly to the target areas of the brain. This is completely external, and non-invasive. The only sensation you will feel is light tapping on your scalp and a clicking sound.
After Each Treatment:
There are not restrictions, you can resume normal daily activities. You will not need a driver, you can drive yourself, you will not be drowsy, or suffer any adverse side effects. You will repeat your visit 5 days a week for about 4-6 weeks.
The brain is full of synapses, 1000 trillion or more. Synapses are the point of communication between two neurons and connect neurons in the brain to neurons in the body. When the synapses in the area of the brain that control mood are underactive, or the connections are broken, depression can result. NeuroStar TMS uses magnetic stimulation to wake up the synapses, allowing for the natural flow of chemical reactions between synapses to resume. When NeuroStar TMS is focused in the area of the brain thought to regulate mood, relief from depression can be achieved.
Do you qualify?
If traditional medications for depression are not working for you, and you have tried and failed to get depression relief from 2* or more medications- you may qualify for TMS treatment. *Varies by insurance providers, contact us to see if your insurance will cover you.
Day of first Treatment:
You will be seated comfortably in the NeuroStar chair here in our office. A licensed psychiatrist, trained in TMS will fit a cap on your head. This “mapping” session will last about 45 minutes. This cap is only used in the initial mapping session.
Ongoing Treatments:
You will visit the clinic daily for about a month. Visits those days will last approximately 20 minutes, depending on your individual needs. During those visits, NeuroStar TMS delivers focused magnetic stimulation, about equal to that of an MRI, directly to the target areas of the brain. This is completely external, and non-invasive. The only sensation you will feel is light tapping on your scalp and a clicking sound.
After Treatment:
There are not restrictions, you can resume normal daily activities. You will not need a driver, you can drive yourself, you will not be drowsy, or suffer any adverse side effects. You will repeat your visit 5 days a week for about 4-6 weeks.
TMS Testimonials
TMS Clinical Trials & Academic Studies
- Carpenter LL, et al. (2012). Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Major Depression: A Multisite, Naturalistic, Observational Study of Acute Treatment Outcomes in Clinical Practice. Depression and Anxiety, 29(7):587-596. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22689344
- George MS, et al. (2010). Daily Left Prefrontal Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder: A Sham-Controlled Randomized Trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 67(5):507-516. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20439832
- Dunner DL, et al. (2014). A Multisite, Naturalistic, Observational Study of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Patients with Pharmacoresistant Major Depressive Disorder: Durability of Benefit Over a 1-Year Follow-Up Period. J Clin Psychiatry. 75(12):1394-1401. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25271871
- O’Reardon JP, et al. (2007). Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Acute Treatment of Major Depression: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial. Biol Psychiatry, 62(11):1208-1216. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17573044
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation, often referred to as TMS is a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. TMS is typically used when antidepressant medications haven’t been effective, have ceased working, or as an alternative to medication.
How does TMS work?
TMS involves delivering magnetic pulses to specific parts of the brain.
How long is TMS treatment?
A typical initial course of treatment is about 19-37 minutes daily over 4-6 weeks.
Is TMS Therapy covered by my insurance?
A vast majority of commercial and Medicare plans have recognized the effectiveness of treating depression with TMS Therapy and now cover TMS as part of their plans.
Is TMS Therapy a good alternative for patients who cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressant medications?
TMS does not circulate in the blood throughout the body, so it does not have side effects like weight gain, sexual dysfunction, nausea, dry mouth, sedation, etc. The most common side effects reported during clinical trials were headache and scalp discomfort —generally mild to moderate—occurring less frequently after the first week of treatment.
Is TMS Therapy like other alternative therapies that use magnets to treat some illnesses?
No. TMS Therapy involves a unique method of using pulsed magnetic fields for a therapeutic benefit. The intensity of the magnetic field is similar to that of an MRI. These techniques differ radically from the popular use of low intensity, static magnetic fields. Those products deliver weak and undirected static fields that are not capable of activating brain cells. The activation and stimulation of brain cells is a key part of why TMS is so effective.