TMS FAQs

TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation. It is used to treat depression by stimulating the brain non-invasively using electromagnetic fields, similar to those produced by an MRI machine. During TMS Therapy, a magnetic field is administered in very short pulses to the part of the brain that research has demonstrated to be associated with depression. The typical initial course of treatment is about 19-37 minutes daily over 7 weeks.

All TMS treatments are supervised by a trained psychiatrist, psychologist or psychiatric nurse. The sessions are conducted in a comfortable treatment chair, where a magnetic coil is placed over your head. The coil generates a pulsating magnetic field, stimulating the target areas within the brain. The magnetic field generates a noticeable ticking sound. While the stimulation is not painful, many patients notice a tingling sensation on their scalp.

TMS Therapy is widely reimbursed by both private and public health insurance companies. It is also recommended by the American Psychiatric Association if an individual has not received the needed benefits from one antidepressant, TMS Therapy should be considered as a next treatment option instead of changing to a different antidepressant.

Apollo TMS Therapy is non-systemic (does not circulate in the blood throughout the body), so it does not have side effects such as weight gain, sexual dysfunction, nausea, dry mouth, sedation, etc. The most common side effects reported during clinical trials were headache and scalp discomfort – generally mild to moderate – occurring less frequently after the first week of treatment.

No. Apollo TMS Therapy involves a unique method of using pulsed magnetic fields for therapeutic benefit. The intensity of the magnetic field is similar to that of the magnetic fields used in magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI. These techniques differ radically from the popular use of low intensity, static magnetic fields. These products deliver weak and undirected static fields that are not capable of activating brain cells.

No, the two procedures are very different. While both are effective in the treatment of depression, there are many differences in safety and tolerability.

During Apollo TMS Therapy, patients sit in a chair and are awake and alert throughout the entire 19-37 minute procedure – no sedation is used. Patients can transport themselves to and from treatment.

Typically, only a 6-week course of 45 minutes per day treatments are needed, unlike medications that can take months to stabilize mood. After a course of TMS Therapy, most patients enjoy long-lasting benefits.

TMS therapy focuses on the areas of the brain that controls mood. Unlike Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), there have been no reported negative effects on thinking and memory, or any other normal brain functions.

No, the most common side effect related to treatment was scalp discomfort during treatment sessions. This side effect was generally mild to moderate, and occurred less frequently after the first week of treatment.

If necessary, you can treat this discomfort with an over-the-counter analgesic. If these side effects persist, your doctor can temporarily reduce the strength of the magnetic field pulses being administered in order to make treatment more comfortable.

We only apply protocols that have shown clinical efficacy. By combining TMS with psychotherapy, 66% of the population who suffer depression achieved positive outcomes, according to recent studies.