Is depression impacting important areas of your life?

Have you tried antidepressant medication but are still depressed?

Are you having side effects from medication and want to consider other treatment options?

Have antidepressant medicines not provided full relief from your depression?

Is depression causing other medical conditions to worsen?

Has your doctor or therapist suggested you consider TMS therapy ?

Treatments are provided while sitting in a comfortable spa type chair. The head is positioned comfortably with a pillow and a flat coil is placed at the front part of the head. During treatments, which last between 9 to 19 minutes, a clicking sound is audible as magnetic pulses are delivered. There is a tapping sensation felt underneath the coil which results from the scalp muscles responding to the stimulation. Patients are awake and alert, watching a YouTube video or talking to the staff during the treatment.

Once the treatment is over, patients are able to immediately return to normal activity and drive themselves home. The usual course of treatment is daily treatments five days a week for six weeks and then a taper for the next six treatments. This protocol will be shortened or increased based on patient response.

The TMS treatments are:

• Nonsystemic- that is nothing is injected into the body. The focus of the treatment is a small surface of the brain just underneath the coil
• No adverse effects on memory
• Easily tolerated- Dr. Hayden has had only one patient stop TMS therapy from discomfort in the last 13 years
• No restrictions with activity level

The current FDA approval for TMS therapy is for major depression, anxious depression, OCD and smoking cessation. However, at the moment, major medical insurers only cover treatment for treatment resistant major depression. This means clinical depression that is not responding to medication and counseling. Generally this means age 18 and older and a diagnosis of major depression that has not responded to 2 to 3 medications or having experienced side effects to medication. Also failure of counseling with a licensed therapist like LPC or LICSW. TMS is not approved if there are psychotic symptoms or current drug or alcohol abuse or a history of seizures. Metallic objects that are present above the neck and specific medical devices would also be a concern.

Dr Hayden has successfully treated bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, and tinnitus with TMS , but these are “ off label” treatments since there is no specific FDA approval yet for these conditions. This treatment would not be covered by insurance.