TMS

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a treatment that increases brain activity, reducing mental health symptoms that haven’t responded to traditional care. Kingwood Psychiatry in Kingwood and The Woodlands, Texas, provides the most cutting-edge treatments in psychiatry, including TMS. Call the Kingwood Psychiatry office nearest you today or schedule an online consultation to learn more about TMS. Telemedicine pretreatment consultations are available.

What is TMS?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a treatment using magnetic pulses to stimulate activity in specific areas of the brain. Increasing brain activity reduces the symptoms caused by mental health conditions.

During this noninvasive treatment,  Dr Venkatesh places a magnetic coil around your head. The magnetic coil sends pulses of magnetic energy to your brain, stimulating the electrical activity in the brain cells.

Though researchers are still investigating how TMS works, they theorize that mental health conditions cause a decrease in activity in the areas of the brain that control mood and thinking. TMS reactivates these areas, improving how you feel and think.

Am I a candidate for TMS?

Your Kingwood Psychiatry Dr Venkatesh determines whether you’re a TMS candidate after a consultation. He will only recommend the treatment if you’ve tried other traditional interventions like psychiatric medication and psychotherapy and failed to improve.

TMS is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It’s also used for people with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and addiction. But these are called “off-label” uses of TMS and might not be covered by health insurance.

What happens during TMS?

Your Kingwood Psychiatry Dr Venkatesh reviews the details of your TMS treatment at your consultation.

Your first TMS therapy session is the longest. During this initial visit,  Dr Venkatesh determines the area of the brain that needs treatment and the strength and frequency of the magnetic pulses.

This takes about an hour. You might feel the pulses when they hit your head, but most people find TMS tolerable.

Once your provider determines placement, strength, and frequency, they start your treatment which takes no more than 30 minutes.

How many TMS treatments do I need?

Your Kingwood Psychiatry provider customizes your TMS plan based on your needs. Typically, you need four to five TMS sessions a week for six weeks to gain the most significant benefit.

You must continue your current psychiatric treatment plan (medication and psychotherapy) during TMS. Though results vary, you could start to notice improvements in your symptoms within a couple of weeks.

Your provider might also suggest maintenance TMS treatments after you complete your initial sessions.

Call Kingwood Psychiatry today or schedule your TMS consultation online.