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Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to alleviate symptoms of depression and other mental health conditions.
During a TMS session, a patient sits in a chair and a device is placed on their scalp that delivers magnetic pulses to specific areas of the brain that are involved in regulating mood. These pulses create small electrical currents that stimulate nerve cells in the brain, which can help to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Overall, TMS therapy is a promising and relatively new treatment option for individuals with depression and other mental health conditions that have not responded to other forms of therapy.
Traditional TMS entails going to your doctor’s office every day, 5 days a week for 6-8 weeks. A typical TMS session lasts 37.5 minutes plus setup time. The cost of this course of treatment is usually $9,000 to $12,000, although some insurance companies are starting to cover a portion of it.
At Initia Nova, we use the Express TMS system from MagVenture with advanced theta burst technology. This treatment lasts just over 9 minutes, and thus you can receive more than 1 treatment in a day, although they must be separated by an hour. This is ideal for those whose demands of work, childcare or life in general, make it very difficult to go to treatment everyday.
Our TMS program starts with treatment 2 to 3 days a week, with each treatment day lasting between 2 and 6 hours depending on availability and the agreed upon schedule between you and our physician, for a total of 6 to 18 treatment days over 3-6 weeks (compared to 30 to 40 treatment days of traditional TMS).
As we create individual treatment plans for each client, there can be some variations of this. Additionally, you are able to drive yourself home after your treatment and have no restrictions on the rest of your day. You will have about 45 minutes between each treatment that you can do work on your laptop, run errands, or just take a walk in our relaxing wooded development.
While doing our TMS Program, we encourage you to participate in psychotherapy to achieve maximum benefit. In addition, TMS can be combined with ketamine infusion therapy when appropriate.
*Note: although the 3 minute theta burst treatment is FDA-approved, the accelerated protocol of multiple treatments in a day is not yet FDA-approved and is considered an off label application. Therefore, it is not covered by insurance and is an out-of-pocket expense.
Issues treated by TMS include forms of depression such as major depressive disorder, postpartum depression, chronic depression, and medication-resistant depression.
TMS treats the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex which is part of the brain that goes dormant when you are depressed.
The most common side effects reported in among half the patients are headaches. These are mild and often diminish before treatment is even completed. Over-the-counter pain medication is used to combat these headaches. TMS is an incredibly safe procedure.
Patient response to TMS varies. Some patient can feel a difference in the first week while it may take longer for others. It is important to complete the entire TMS cycle to feel the full benefits of treatment.
Yes. Call us today to discuss your insurance coverage and treatment options.
Initia Nova is a state-of-the-art medical clinic with locations in Cherry Hill, NJ, and Wilmington, DE, offering cutting-edge treatments for chronic pain, mood disorders, and substance abuse. Our experienced and compassionate team provides personalized care to help patients achieve optimal health and well-being.