What to Expect During TMS
TMS has been helping people with depression since 2008. Here's what to expect.
The decision to start Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) generally involves a lot of thought and consideration. For some people it feels scary to think about trying TMS. Knowing what to expect can help with the decision making process.
During your first TMS treatment, you will sit in a chair that looks similar to a dentist chair (see our website for pictures of the MagStim Horizon chair). The TMS technician (Nancy or Annette) will provide you with a cap that you will wear during your treatments.
Dr. Bernadino will take a few measurements of your head. These are the same types of measurements that are taken prior to getting an electroencephalogram (EEG). By using the EEG coordinate system, we can locate the area that most closely matches the area of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). This is the area that is less active in people who struggle with debilitating depression.
Once we have completed your measurements, we need to determine your motor threshold. The motor threshold is the amount of intensity we need to use in order to get your neurons to fire. By stimulating over the area of the left motor cortex, we can determine how much intensity is needed to get a small hand or thumb twitch.
Once we have determined the location and the intensity needed, we will place the TMS coil over the DLPFC and start your treatment. We always start at a low intensity so that you have a chance to see how it feels. If it is uncomfortable, we can reposition the coil. If you are tolerating it well, we can increase the dose slowly to your target dose.
Most people tolerate TMS very well and are able to get up to their target dose within 1-2 days of starting their treatments. Some people may have some treatment site tenderness or headaches (not migrainous headaches). The tenderness and headaches generally resolve within the first 1-2 weeks of treatment. People with migraines often report that they experience a decrease in their migraines with TMS. By the end of treatment, most people find that TMS is a very comfortable experience and many people even fall asleep during TMS. In addition to helping with depression, most people report decreased levels of anxiety and increased energy and motivation.
During your TMS treatments you are never alone in the treatment room. Our staff are always with you to make sure that you are having a comfortable experience.
If you have any questions we can help answer regarding what to expect during your TMS treatment, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team. We look forward to hearing from you.
