FAQ

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or TMS therapy is an FDA-approved, medical treatment for people who have tried various forms of antidepressant treatments but still have not achieved relief from symptoms of major depression.

TMS uses magnetic pulses that have shown to stimulate nerve cells in parts of your brain that are involved in mood control and depression, such as the prefrontal cortex.

The first line of treatment for major depression includes antidepressant medication and talk therapy.  However, there are cases where people do not respond to talk therapy, medication, or cannot tolerate the side effects of medication. In these instances, TMS therapy may be given as an alternative treatment or to augment medication or psychotherapy.

Before a TMS treatment, you will be asked to remove any magnetic-sensitive objects such as jewelry, metal piercings, credit cards. You might also be required to wear earplugs since the machine makes clicking sounds similar to those of an MRI machine. The treatment does not require any sedation or general anesthesia, so you will be fully awake and alert throughout the therapy session. Your first TMS session takes approximately one (1) hour and includes taking measurements to make sure that the TMS coil is positioned correctly over your head. The physician and/or TMS technician will administer several pulses to determine your motor threshold, or enough power until your right thumb twitches. This one-time process allows your TMS settings to be personalized, to ensure that adequate energy (or pulses) is given to stimulate your brain cells. Once completed, the TMS coil will be placed on your head, and the treatment begins. While in session, you can listen to music, watch a video, or just sit back and relax.

 

Each TMS session lasts about 40 minutes and is usually given 5 days a week for 4 to 6 weeks. However, this varies from one individual to another, depending on how you respond to TMS.  We will regularly monitor and evaluate your progress so we can tailor your treatment according to your needs.

Since 2008, the FDA has approved TMS therapy for the treatment of patients with major depression who failed to improve from antidepressant medication.

To see if TMS can be for you, please answer the short questionnaire below.  If you answer “Agree” to any of these questions, please call our office so you can meet with our physician to see if TMS is right for you.  

Our team is committed to working with you in checking and confirming your insurance benefits to see if your treatment falls under your insurance coverage. Currently, these are insurance companies that cover TMS therapy: Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, GEHA, HealthNet, Kaiser Permanente, Magellan Health Services, Managed Health Network, OPTUM, Pacific Care Behavioral Health, TRICARE, United Behavioral Health, United Health Care, ValueOptions, Ventura County Health Care Plan, and is in the process of adding other major commercial insurances. Please call us to set an appointment so we can work together in finding out if your health insurance coverage includes TMS therapy. For self-pay and financing options, you may also contact Advance Care.

TMS is not for everybody.  Because it uses magnetic fields, TMS is not safe if you have:

• Metal in or around the head, including metal plates
• Aneurysm coils
• Cochlear implants
• Ocular implants
• Deep brain stimulation devices
• Stents
• Implants controlled by physiological signals, including pacemakers
• Implantable cardioverter defibrillators
• Vagus nerve stimulators

  Standard amalgam dental fillings are not affected by the magnetic fields and are allowed in patients considered for TMS.