Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive treatment option that uses gentle magnetic pulses to stimulate targeted areas of the brain. Repeated sessions of brain stimulation changes brain function in ways that alleviate symptoms of neuropsychiatric illness. Learn more.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is FDA approved for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. TMS can be used off-label to treat a wide variety of other conditions, including chronic pain, tinnitus, and others.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is different than ECT. TMS uses magnetic energy to stimulate the brain, instead of an electrical current. TMS can be done safely and comfortably while patients are awake. ECT is also a safe and effective treatment option for depression, but it requires anesthesia. To learn more about ECT, click here.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is very safe. For most patients, the only serious potential side effect is an extremely low risk of seizure (about 1 in 30,000 treatment sessions).
Patients can feel the magnet pulsing, which can be uncomfortable, but most patients say the treatment is not painful. Many people describe it as a “firm tapping” or “woodpecker pecking” on their heads, and are still able to relax and enjoy watching Netflix during their treatment session. To see a TMS treatment at UCLA, click here.
Most major insurance plans cover transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of depression. To learn more about specific insurance plans, please click here. To learn more about self-pay rates, please call us at 310-825-7471 or email us at [email protected]
If you are interested in learning more about TMS or scheduling treatment in our clinic, please ask your provider to place a referral. Our referral form can be located here.
Some patients begin to experience benefits of improved mood, sleep, or energy, as well as decreased pain almost immediately. Most patients experience benefits within 2-3 weeks from the start of treatment, although some may not notice effects for a month or even longer. Many patients ask whether there is a way to speed up the response to TMS treatment. There are a number of methods such as the “Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy” (also known as the SAINT protocol) in which up to 10 TMS treatments are given in a single day and a full course of treatment is completed in less than a week. For some patients, we do offer the option to receive multiple treatments in a single day. It is important to note, however, that most insurance plans will not reimburse for more than one treatment per day.Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy is offered by the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford through research studies. At UCLA, we also are conducting research on new methods to treat depression more rapidly and effectively. To learn more about these studies, please click here.
