TMS for providers

Help your patients reach their full potential with TMS therapy.

Clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of NeuroStar® TMS Therapy in treating patients who have not benefited from prior antidepressant medication. In an independent, randomized, controlled trial funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, 307 patients were treated with the NeuroStar TMS System for 4 to 6 weeks. At the end of their treatments:

• Patients who received NeuroStar TMS Therapy were four times more likely to achieve remission compared to patients receiving a sham treatment.

• 1 in 2 patients experienced significant improvement in their depression symptoms.

• 1 in 3 patients experienced complete remission.

• Patients who received TMS Therapy also experienced a significant improvement in the anxiety and physical symptoms (such as appetite changes, aches and pains, and lack of energy) associated with depression.

TMS FAQs

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. See here for a full list of insurance plans that cover TMS.

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.

How long is TMS treatment?

A typical initial course of treatment is about 19-37 minutes daily over 4-6 weeks.

What is Major Depressive Disorder?

Major depressive disorder is a condition which lasts two or more weeks and interferes with an individual’s ability to carry out daily tasks and enjoy activities that previously brought pleasure. This condition affects approximately 16 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older.

What causes depression?

The exact cause of depression is not known, but leading research in Neuroscience points to an imbalance in the brain’s neurotransmitters as the manifestation of depression. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that send signals between brain cells. A person’s genetic make-up and life history may also determine her or his tendency to become depressed.

How do I know if I’m clinically depressed?

If you are experiencing four or more of the below symptoms and suffering from a depressed mood for more than a two-week period, you may want to seek medical help.

• Significant weight loss (when not dieting) or weight gain (a change of more than five percent of body weight in a month)

• Significant increase or decrease in appetite

• Excessive sleepiness or insomnia

• Agitation and restlessness

• Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive and inappropriate guilt nearly every day

• Diminished ability to think, concentrate, or make decisions

• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide