NeuroStar TMS
About NeuroStar TMS Therapy
NeuroStar Advanced Therapy (TMS) Explained
NeuroStar Advanced Therapy utilizes transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to target specific brain regions. This non-invasive treatment focuses on areas that show reduced activity in individuals experiencing depression. It’s important to note that NeuroStar TMS is not ECT (electroconvulsive therapy).
How NeuroStar TMS Works
The prevailing scientific understanding suggests that depression is related to an imbalance in the brain’s neurotransmitters—the chemical messengers responsible for transmitting signals between nerve cells. While the precise cause of depression remains complex, NeuroStar TMS offers a way to modulate brain function.
During a session, a magnetic field, comparable in strength to the one used in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, is employed to gently stimulate nerve cells in the brain region primarily associated with mood regulation. These magnetic pulses are thought to positively influence the brain’s neurotransmitter activity, creating the potential for sustained symptom relief and long-term remission.
Key Benefits of NeuroStar Treatment
NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is designed to be straightforward and easily integrated into a patient’s life:
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Convenient Sessions: Treatments take place right in your NeuroStar provider’s office.
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Immediate Return to Activity: Patients can resume their normal daily routine immediately following a session.
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Non-Sedating: You remain fully awake and alert throughout the entire treatment.
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Cognitive Safety: The therapy has no known negative impact on either memory or sleep quality.
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Broad Coverage: The treatment is covered by most major health insurance carriers, including Medicare and Tricare.
With over three million treatments administered, this innovative approach provides a path to remission and renewed hope for many individuals struggling with depression.
How NeuroStar TMS Therapy™ Works
Before Treatment
You’ll recline comfortably in the treatment chair. A curved magnetic coil will be positioned on your head.
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During Treatment
You’ll hear a clicking sound and feel a tapping sensation on your head as the NeuroStar coil focuses treatment precisely at the source of the depression: the brain.
The patented Contact Sensing technology ensures the prescribed dose is delivered, every treatment, every pulse.
After Treatment
With NeuroStar TMS you are fully awake and alert during treatment and may drive home and resume daily activities immediately afterwards.
Depending on your doctor’s recommendation, a typical NeuroStar treatment plan includes 36 sessions that each last between 19-37 minutes. Completing the full NeuroStar treatment course gives the best chance for delivering long-lasting relief from depression.
FAQ
What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation, often referred to as TMS is a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. TMS is typically used when antidepressant medications haven’t been effective, have ceased working, or as an alternative to medication.
How does TMS work?
TMS involves delivering magnetic pulses to specific parts of the brain.
How long is TMS treatment?
A typical initial course of treatment is about 19-37 minutes daily over 4-6 weeks.
Is TMS Therapy covered by my insurance?
A vast majority of commercial and Medicare plans have recognized the effectiveness of treating depression with TMS Therapy and now cover TMS as part of their plans.
Is TMS Therapy a good alternative for patients who cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressant medications?
TMS does not circulate in the blood throughout the body, so it does not have side effects like weight gain, sexual dysfunction, nausea, dry mouth, sedation, etc. The most common side effects reported during clinical trials were headache and scalp discomfort —generally mild to moderate—occurring less frequently after the first week of treatment.
Is TMS Therapy like other alternative therapies that use magnets to treat some illnesses?
No. TMS Therapy involves a unique method of using pulsed magnetic fields for a therapeutic benefit.
The intensity of the magnetic field is similar to that of an MRI. These techniques differ radically from the popular use of low intensity, static magnetic fields. Those products deliver weak and undirected static fields that are not capable of activating brain cells. The activation and stimulation of brain cells is a key part of why TMS is so effective.
TMS Clinical Trials & Academic Studies
1. Carpenter LL, et al. (2012). Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Major Depression: A Multisite, Naturalistic, Observational Study of Acute Treatment Outcomes in Clinical Practice. Depression and Anxiety, 29(7):587 596.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22689344
2. George MS, et al. (2010). Daily Left Prefrontal Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder: A Sham-Controlled Randomized Trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 67(5):507-516.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20439832
3. Dunner DL, et al. (2014). A Multisite, Naturalistic, Observational Study of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Patients with Pharmacoresistant Major Depressive Disorder: Durability of Benefit Over a 1-Year Follow-Up Period. J Clin Psychiatry. 75(12):1394-1401.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25271871
4. O’Reardon JP, et al. (2007). Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Acute Treatment of Major Depression: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial. Biol Psychiatry, 62(11):1208-1216.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17573044
The NeuroStar Advanced Therapy System is indicated for the treatment of depressive episodes and for decreasing anxiety symptoms for those who may exhibit comorbid anxiety symptoms in adult patients suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and who failed to achieve satisfactory improvement from previous antidepressant medication treatment in the current episode. The NeuroStar Advanced Therapy system is intended to be used as an adjunct for the treatment of adult patients suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is only available by prescription. A doctor can help decide if NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is right for you. Patients’ results may vary. Visit neurostar.com for full safety and prescribing information.