TMS

If you’re suffering from depression and you’re not getting any relief from your symptoms with antidepressants, you should consider transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The experienced mental health team at Aloha Integrative Health, with an office in San Diego, California, offers some of the most advanced techniques to help treat depression, including TMS. Call the office or request an appointment online to learn more about TMS and how it can benefit you.

What is TMS?

TMS is a ground-breaking alternative treatment for depression that doesn’t respond well to traditional therapies. While researchers aren’t sure of the exact cause of depression, it’s scientifically theorized that mood changes occur when there is a decrease in activity in the brain's neural network that controls mood and motivation.

To address the symptoms of depression, TMS uses magnetic pulses that induce brief activity in the brain cells, causing the neurons to fire and release the neurotransmitters that often don’t work well in people with depression.

Am I a good candidate for TMS?

When you come in for a consultation, the Aloha Integrative Health team determines if you’re a good candidate for TMS. TMS is generally only recommended after you’ve tried and failed to get improvements in your depression from psychotherapy and antidepressant medication.

TMS is an alternative treatment for your depression or to augment your antidepressant medication or psychotherapy. You may also be considered a good candidate for TMS if you experience unpleasant side effects from your antidepressant medications.

TMS is currently FDA-approved for treating major depression and is under FDA review for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and addiction. 

What can I expect during a TMS procedure?

TMS therapy at Aloha Integrative Health takes about 15-20 minutes. To get the most benefit from treatment, your specialist conducts your therapy five days a week for 4-6 weeks.

During your session, you sit comfortably in a chair while your specialist runs through a series of tests to determine the best placement of the coils for your therapy. Then, your specialist measures your motor threshold, the minimum amount of power necessary to make your thumb twitch, and determines the energy needed to stimulate your brain cells.

They then adjust the TMS coil accordingly and place it over the front region of your brain, and treatment begins. You may hear a series of clicking sounds and a tapping sensation under the coil during your TMS therapy.

After your TMS therapy, you can return to your usual activities without downtime. Most patients report a more than 75% improvement in their depression after treatment, with 50% of patients reporting complete remission.

To learn more about TMS and how it can help you, call Aloha Integrative Health today or request an appointment online.