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Does TMS Therapy work

Does TMS Therapy Work?

Yes, TMS therapy works extremely well. Over 20 randomized, controlled trials have found TMS therapy to work as an effective treatment for major depression.

When treated by a qualified TMS technician, TMS therapy patients enjoy a 66% remission rate for symptoms of major depressive disorder. This is the case even if a patient’s depression has been resistant to antidepressant medication.  

TMS Therapy Success Rate

The TMS therapy success rate is 66% for entering remission from major depressive disorder symptoms. This TMS therapy rate includes patients who have tried and failed to receive benefit from prescription antidepressants. 

What does remission mean when it comes to depression? It refers to symptoms going away completely. However, there is always the possibility for a recurrence of symptoms sometime down the road after TMS therapy. The average length of remission is over one year, but many patients continue to show improvements for far longer. Often patients seek subsequent rounds of treatment because of the great improvement in quality of life enjoyed while in remission.

How Does TMS Therapy Work?

TMS Therapy works by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) applied to specific nerve cells in the brain from which depression symptoms arise. This is done by placing a helmet containing electrical coils on the head. The coils produce rapidly changing magnetic pulses and charges to penetrate the skull and “excite” the brain’s nerve cells in a repetitive and rhythmic frequency. 

Here is how the process of undergoing TMS therapy works:

  1. A patient has a consultation at a TMS clinic to determine if TMS treatment is a good option for their specific case. Alternately, an individual may take an online self-assessment test.
  2. A course of treatment is prescribed by a specialized doctor and will include the exact area of the brain to target and the ideal stimulation intensity. 
  3. During therapy treatment, a helmet is placed on the patient’s head and adjusted per their prescription. 
  4. The patient may feel “tapping” or mild discomfort at the site of stimulation and possibly some mild headache symptoms after treatment ends.
  5. Generally, a patient can expect five 20-50 minute sessions a week for 2-6 weeks.

TMS therapy does not require anesthesia. It is a non-invasive, drugless solution to resistant cases of depression. With TMS therapy, patients endure none of the side effects of antidepressant medication such as insomnia, weight gain, nausea, and sexual dysfunction. 

Call for Your Free Consultation

Depression is a serious medical illness that can severely affect a person’s confidence, motivation, and interest in living life by suffering through frequent feelings of intense sadness, anxiety, guilt, fear, and emptiness. Results of suffering from depression include irritability, disturbed sleep, and strained relationships. 

Sometimes psychotherapy and medication can help, but when they don’t, it’s time to consider whether TMS therapy will work for you.

Book a complimentary consultation today with TMS Clinics of Canada and get on the road to remission!