What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or TMS?
TMS is one of the latest mental health treatments created to treat clinical depression, OCD, anxiety disorders, and PTSD by directly stimulating the areas of the brain linked with mental health conditions. It is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for depression and OCD that does not require surgery or medication, while still delivering fast and effective results to patients who have experienced little to no benefit from medication-based treatments or traditional psychotherapies.
TMS therapy ranks among the most advantageous, technologically innovative treatments available for depression. Improvements for patients using TMS are often significant, with 50% of clients experiencing reduced depression symptoms after one treatment course.
How does TMS work?
The Technology Behind TMS Therapy
Psychiatric disorders like depression and OCD are caused by a chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain (serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine) that control mood regulation, happiness, and energy levels. When the presence of these chemicals is inadequate in the brain, a person may experience waves prolonged exposure of severe hopelessness or distress. TMS reverses these symptoms using electromagnetic currents that release the neurotransmitters necessary to bring the brain’s chemical levels back to normal, easing symptoms of various mental illnesses.
TMS uses a helmet-shaped device with a built-in electromagnetic H-coil that delivers short bursts of magnetic energy to the brain’s frontal cortex. These bursts produce very small electrical currents that stimulate nerve cells in the brain and release neurotransmitters to reduce symptoms associated with various mental health disorders.
The only thing the patient will experience during the treatment is a faint clicking sound and a slight tapping sensation on the designated area of the head. The procedure lasts anywhere from 18-20 minutes.
TMS is a non-invasive, outpatient procedure, meaning it can be performed right in the office with no anesthesia or sedation needed. At the end of your session you’ll be able to carry on as normal.
Start your recovery with TMS today.
To make an appointment or referral to the TMS Center, or to learn additional information, please make an appointment online or call us at (724) 856-8620
TMS Testimonials
Where Compassion Meets Innovation
Brittany’s Story
After suffering from depression for 15 years, Brittany tried countless treatment options without any significant recovery. Feeling hopeless, she thought she was at the end of the road, until trying Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. TMS treatments allowed Brittany to finally feel like herself again.
Sam’s Story
Sam felt hopeless after years of medication and therapy failed to control his depression. He turned to Compassion for TMS treatments and experienced life-changing results.
TMS Therapy for Depression
A New Noninvasive Treatment for Clinical Depression
For many people who deal with depression, every day can feel like a challenge, especially when many of the usual treatments fail to deliver effective relief. Compassion’s Deep TMS treatment provides a safe, non-pharmaceutical option for patients suffering from depression whose symptoms persist despite treatment with antidepressants and other therapies. Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation has been proven to significantly lower the symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder allowing patients to resume a normal, healthy lifestyle free of depression.
Deep TMS is an outpatient treatment that is performed right in the office without the need of sedation. Other major depressive disorder treatments like Electroconvulsive Therapy require the use of sedation and can result in severe side effects. That’s where TMS greatly differs. The deep TMS helmet is simply placed on the patients head and the H coil creates magnetic currents focused on the portion of the brain where depression is caused, releasing the neurotransmitters necessary to bring the brain’s chemical imbalance back to equilibrium—alleviating symptoms of depression painlessly.
TMS Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
A Promising Alternative Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (Deep TMS) is an innovative new treatment for adults with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is a type of anxiety disorder that causes a person to experience continuous thoughts, uncontrollable ideas, or compulsive behaviors that they feel the need to repeat over and over to relieve distress.
Patients experiencing difficulties from OCD saw alleviated symptoms after several treatment sessions.
Compassion is the only treatment center in Western, PA offering this innovative, drug-free treatment option for patients with obsessive compulsive disorder, which is why patients from all over Pittsburgh are referred to Compassion to help with their recovery.
If you or a loved one suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and haven’t found other treatments effective, Deep TMS for OCD may be perfect for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn why everyone is talking about TMS
Insurance coverage for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
TMS Therapy is now covered by all major insurance companies, including Medicare, Ohio Medicaid plan (CareSource), UPMC, United Healthcare, and Highmark-Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
To learn additional information, please call us at (724) 856-8620.
