Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive, in-office brain stimulation treatment offered at UK HealthCare for the treatment of major depressive disorder, tobacco addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Deep TMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to treat your symptoms. This is a highly effective treatment that can create a profound improvement in mental health, alleviating symptoms and contributing to a significantly greater quality of life.
Deep TMS has been shown to create greater opportunities for remission and fewer side effects compared with medication. It also has been proven effective at improving symptoms of depression, OCD and smoking addiction that have been resistant to other forms of treatment.
Deep TMS treatment at UK HealthCare is currently available to patients with major depressive disorder. Treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder and smoking cessation will be available in the near future.
What can patients expect with Deep TMS treatment?
Treatment consists of 30 sessions (about 20 minutes each) over a six-week period, in some cases followed by periodic maintenance sessions. During Deep TMS treatment, a special helmet containing a magnetic coil is placed over your head, focused on an area of the brain specific to your diagnosis. You’ll be comfortably sitting in a chair, awake and alert during the treatment and can resume normal activities immediately following treatment.
Deep TMS is a safe, effective and well-tolerated procedure that is considered least-invasive compared with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and has shown better outcomes than medication.
Why choose UK HealthCare for Deep TMS?
In our clinic, we use BrainsWay Deep TMS, which is different from standard (or traditional) TMS. BrainsWay’s unique coil design enables deeper and broader stimulation than traditional, figure-8 TMS coils, resulting in greater activation of neurons and less likelihood of targeting errors, both of which may increase the treatment’s success.
Do you qualify?
Here are the criteria for Deep TMS:
- Diagnosis of major depressive disorder with NO psychosis indicators
- 18 or older
- Cannot have conductive, ferromagnetic or other magnetic-sensitive metals implanted in head within 30 centimeters of treatment coil (metal plates, aneurysm coils, cochlear implants, ocular implants, deep brain stimulation devices, metal fragments, stents, etc.)
- Insurance-specific requirements: Failure of two or more trials of antidepressant medication from two classes
Most insurance carriers cover Deep TMS treatment for major depressive disorder if the patient meets the criteria for other failed treatments.
Deep TMS for the treatment of OCD or smoking cessation may not be covered by your insurer, but self-pay options are available.
We will help confirm whether you are covered before treatment begins. To discuss your options and learn more, call our office at 859-323-6021 (option 5).
