Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Will Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation help my depression?

Are you one of the estimated 19 million American adults with a depressive disorder? Are medications and psychotherapy not working?

Left untreated, depression can have a debilitating effect on your health, happiness and well-being, but there is good news for you! At Solace Counseling, we now offer Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a relatively new, FDA-approved treatment for depression.

So what is it? As its name implies, TMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. The stimulation improves the symptoms of depression. It’s a painless procedure that involves simply placing an electromagnetic coil on your head. The coil generates magnetic pulses to create electrical currents in your brain. These pulses target the area of your brain that controls mood and depression.

Treatment typically consists of:

• Daily stimulations for four to six weeks (20-30 treatments)
• Each treatment lasts about 40 minutes to an hour.
• No recovery time is required. After each treatment, you can immediately return to work or home.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is generally used when medications and psychotherapy aren’t working. While past treatments like vagus nerve stimulation or deep brain stimulation required surgery or implanting electrodes under your skin, transcranial magnetic stimulation does not. It also does not require inducing seizures, nor use of anesthesia like electroconvulsive therapy. In comparison to these approaches, the side effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation are minimal, including (but not necessarily limited to): headache, lightheadedness, facial tingling or spasms and noise discomfort during the treatment.

Think TMS might be right for you? Fill out the form to the right for more information.