Why TMS
TMS Integrative Brain Institute chose to work with Brainsway’s deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) Therapy because it has proven in over 60 clinical studies to be:
- Effective for many patients experiencing depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder who have not achieved relief with medication, therapy, or a combination of both.
- Non-invasive. You are awake and alert during the treatment. You can resume everyday activities right after your treatment.
- Non-systemic. It is not taken by mouth and does not circulate in your bloodstream.
- Effective with minimal side effects and risks
Additionally, Brainsway’s deep TMS Therapy
- Has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2008 for patients suffering from depression who have not achieved satisfactory improvement from prior antidepressant treatment. In 2018 Brainsway’s deep TMS therapy was also approved by the FDA for treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In August 2020 it was approved for aiding in smoking cessation.
- Is currently being tested for use in a variety of other disorders including migraines, strokes, autism, and opioid dependency
Brainsway’s dTMS is covered by most insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid for the treatment of medication resistant Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
How It Works:
Assessment
You will begin your journey with a diagnostic assessment by our Director of Psychiatric Services. This will determine if TMS treatment is suitable for you. It consists of a thorough 60-90 minute evaluation of your history and your current state of mental health.
Insurance Authorization
We apply for prior insurance authorization. If you meet the criteria for TMS treatment, it is very likely your insurance company will require a prior authorization. This decision can take one to two weeks.
First Treatment
After insurance authorization our medical director in conjunction with our director of psychiatric services will “map” where the TMS helmet should be placed for optimum results. In your first treatment we will determine the best dose of TMS to help you, fit you with your helmet and your first full TMS 19-min treatment.
Daily Treatments
You will receive 19 minute treatments Monday through Friday. Your treatment course can range from four to six depending on your need and insurance authorization.
Refresher Treatments
If you need refresher treatments at any time we will contact your insurance carrier and request them. These refreshers, if needed, could occur years after your original treatment course.
Ongoing Care
Once TMS treatment is complete, clients can return to their prescribing provider for ongoing medication management or therapy if either are needed
At TMS Integrative Brain Institute, we believe over a period of time, depression can leave a lasting impact on the cognitive perception of the individual suffering with depression. This is why every client is given a cognitive assessment prior to treatment and after treatment.
By having this baseline information, we are able to create a personalized and individualized treatment through a multifactorial therapeutic approach.
How does Brainsway TMS Therapy work
It stimulates a part of the Left Prefrontal Cortex which activates the nerve cells in this region that produce serotonin and emotions. The stimulation comes from a treatment “coil” contained in a “helmet” which is gently positioned over this region of the brain.
Treatment involves sitting comfortably in a chair and wearing a helmet containing a patented H-coil for 20-minutes. The coil stimulates the brain by creating a temporary magnetic field.
Short pulses of electricity sent through the treatment coil generate magnetic fields similar to those used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The magnetic field penetrates through the head and briefly activates the nerve cells in this region of the brain which can improve symptoms of depression, OCD, and the desire to smoke. BrainsWay’s therapy is not painful or disruptive, does not cause systemic side effects, and does not require hospitalization or anesthesia.
BrainsWay uses Deep TMS technology, which has been tested in over 60 clinical studies for various indications in leading institutions worldwide. It is currently available in the US, Europe, and South America. Over 15,000 patients have already been treated with BrainsWay.
Deep TMS works over a shorter period of timer than other forms of TMS. Each treatment is 20 as opposed to 40 minutes. The typical initial treatment course can take as little as 4 rather than the 6 weeks other TMS machines take.
Our treatments are under the supervision of a Board-Certified Psychiatrist who has been treating patients for over 25 years, and a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner who has worked in psychiatry for close to a decade. We offer comprehensive consultations. During these consultations, you will have the opportunity to tour our facility, see the TMS equipment and discuss options with our staff.
We can offer TMS sessions at your convenience. Early morning and evening appointments can be arranged.