What is TMS?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a cutting-edge therapy that aims to regulate and optimize brain function without the use of medication. It is a non-invasive brain stimulation treatment commonly used for various conditions such as major depression, ADHD, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and PTSD. It can also address neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and chronic nerve pain as well.
Types of TMS Protocols
More about TMS:
TMS is an umbrella term for a non-invasive medical treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific areas of the brain. Imagine you have a small device that creates magnetic pulses. This device is placed on your head, and the magnetic pulses pass through your skull to reach certain parts of your brain. These pulses can "wake up" or "calm down" the brain cells in that area, depending on what’s needed. TMS is often used to treat conditions like depression, especially when other treatments like medication haven’t worked. It’s painless, doesn’t require surgery, and doesn’t involve putting anything inside your body. Sessions usually last about 20-40 minutes, and people can go back to their normal activities right after.
There are a number of different “protocols”, including rTMS (repetitive TMS), sTMS (synchronized TMS), iTBS (intermittent theta-burst stimulation), accelerated TMS, and cTMS (continuous TMS); all involve the use of electromagnetic coils placed on the scalp to deliver magnetic pulses to the brain, which can help rebalance neural activity.
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This is the most commonly used form of TMS. It involves repetitively sending magnetic pulses to specific brain areas associated with the treated condition. These pulses are generated by a figure-8-shaped coil placed on the scalp. rTMS can help stimulate underactive neurons and modulate their activity in the targeted areas, improving mood and anxiety symptoms.
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TBS (which includes accelerated and continuous TMS) is a newer and faster form of brain stimulation. It delivers magnetic pulses in a specific pattern with a higher concentration and shorter treatment time. It consists of short bursts of signals delivered at a high frequency. TBS is designed to provide a similar therapeutic effect to rTMS but in a shorter duration, typically lasting a few minutes.
The efficacy of TBS is still being studied, but it has shown promise in treating a variety of conditions, including depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, and chronic pain. There is some evidence that TBS may be more effective than traditional TMS. Research shows that it can treat depression faster due to a shorter response time. For example, a study published in Molecular Psychiatry in 2024 evaluated six TBS protocols and found that they were more efficient and potentially more effective than TMS in reducing depression symptoms. Due to such research, TBS is becoming increasingly common as a treatment option. More and more insurance companies are starting to cover TBS, which makes it more accessible for people who need it.
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Sometimes also called Synchronized TMS (sTMS), this cutting-edge treatment uses quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) to gather information about the electrical signals throughout the entire brain. This is done by scanning the patient’s brain while they are alert, but in a resting state. The qEEG analysis provides valuable information about how each region of the brain is communicating. It then guides the TMS protocol, ensuring that the magnetic field focuses on the area in need of improvement. There is strong evidence that this approach is more effective than traditional TMS in treating depression and other conditions. It is also a more precise technique, so there is less risk of side effects.
NeuroSynchrony Health’s Approach
Is TMS approved by insurance?
MS for Depression, OCD, and smoking cessation is approved by the FDA, and is reimbursed by insurance companies. Oftentimes, insurance companies may cover PTSD and TBI as well.
Overall, significant research has taken place on these protocols, and have shown to be successful in alleviating symptoms with promising results in treating various mental health conditions such as depression, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, PTSD, TBI, smoking cessation, and autism. The treatment is safe, well-tolerated, and gentle enough for children.
NeuroSynchrony Health uniquely offers a specific type of synchronized TMS (sTMS) protocol. The process begins with a quantitative EEG or qEEG. This qEEG allows us to see patterns of dysfunction that identify varying disorders of the brain, such as learning and behavioral issues, emotional disorders, brain injury, and others. The qEEG provides us with a map that guides each individually tailored treatment.
The TMS equipment used for treatment is FDA-approved. It generates magnetic waves that allow us to gently stimulate specifically targeted areas of the brain. In addition to depression, ADHD and OCD, sTMS Treatment protocols have seen some incredible success in improving conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and concussion treatment, Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as anxiety and sleep disorders.
