TMS Therapy for Depression

Another Treatment Option for Depression - TMS Therapy

Many people who find this webpage have already tried numerous medications and psychotherapy for their depression. Often clinicians have been educated in one or the other of these depression treatment options. However, they may not know as much about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Depression is a mood disorder that results in persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in life. It is a huge public health problem. It is a mental illness that negatively impacts how you think, feel, and act. 19 million Americans are affected by depression every day. 300 million people around the world are affected by depression. It is the number one cause of disability worldwide. It is anticipated by the World Health Organization to become even worse.

Worldwide, many people do not have adequate access to treatment. Even with sufficient treatment, an inadequate response is far too common. 50% of people who seek treatment with medications through multiple trials will not have a long-lasting response. (Based on information from the Starr*D trials.) 25% of people who get medication treatment for depression will never achieve remission with medications.

Depression causes a troubled state of mind, making it difficult or impossible to carry out your day-to-day activities. Depression is associated with the following cluster of symptoms.

• Sleep disturbances, hypersomnia, or insomnia
• A consistent feeling of fearfulness, hopelessness, and sadness
• A general sense of irritability, frustration, and angry outbursts
• Loss of interest in everyday activities, e.g., hobbies, sex, or playing sports
• A feeling of tiredness or lack of energy
• Weight loss due to reduced appetite or weight gain due to increased food cravings
• Unexplained physical issues, e.g., headaches
• Frequent thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts, or death by suicide
• Slow thought process or slowed body movements
• Trouble making decisions or remembering things
• A sense of restlessness and agitation

These symptoms can become severe and noticeable enough to affect your quality of life and relationships. 

At Duluth TMS we specialize in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for the treatment of depression. TMS is a convenient treatment option for those struggling with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). TMS is non invasive. In recent studies, TMS therapy has shown to be an effective treatment for people who are dealing with depression, no matter how many medications have been tried or how many didn't work. TMS is an effective treatment for patients dealing with medication-resistant depression.

TMS was proven to be effective for 3 out of 4 major depression clients with a 51% remission rate and a 75% response rate.

The TMS process starts with a free intake/assessment. We will also run your insurance benefits, discuss payment, and take steps to see if you are qualified.

When you come in for your first treatment, our tech will meet with you for about 45 minutes to go over details, discuss expectations and complete your initial mapping for treatment.

You will continue to come to the clinic for daily treatments until your treatment series is complete. The average TMS treatment is 20 minutes long.

During treatment, you will hear and feel a repetitive tapping coming from within the helmet as the coil’s magnetic pulses activate different parts of the brain.

After your session, you can head right back to your day, no downtime required.

TMS therapy takes about 7-9 weeks. 

You are probably eligible for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation if you have severe depression after 2 to 4 medication trials and ineffective psychotherapy trials. Some insurance companies are a little more strict, and some are less. Talking to one of our intake specialists will help clarify your insurance requirements. 

Remission is defined as scoring on depression measures like someone who does not have depression. Response is defined as a decrease in your symptom numbers on depression measures by 50%. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation works for about 70% of people with a remission rate of 45% and an additional 25% of people having a response.