TMS FAQ

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a cutting-edge therapy that delivers short, repetitive magnetic pulses to areas of the brain that are believed to be underactive in people with depression. This stimulation reinvigorates the brain and often makes patients feel significantly better. The FDA approved TMS for depression in 2008, and its efficacy has been proven time and time again. Around 70% of patients experience a positive response from TMS, and many patients even experience full remission of depressive symptoms. 

You will relax in a comfortable chair while a technician places a TMS device over your head to ensure maximum and effective stimulation of the targeted brain areas. Once treatment begins, you will hear and experience a “tapping” sensation on your head. During treatment, you can listen to music, look at your phone, or chat with one of our friendly technicians. Some patients even dedicate their treatment time to meditation. A TMS treatment session can last between about 3 minutes to about 25 minutes, depending on the protocol. Once treatment is over, you can immediately return to your normal daily routine and drive yourself home or to work.

While other treatments for depression, such as medications or ECT, often cause undesirable side effects, TMS has not been shown to cause any systemic side effects. Some patients report mild discomfort or headaches when starting treatment, but these effects typically fade within a couple of weeks as the brain acclimates to treatment. TMS is non-invasive, does not require anesthesia, and does not work by inducing seizures, unlike electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

There are typically 30-36 treatments in a course of TMS, spanning 6 to 10 weeks. Accelerated TMS courses (multiple TMS treatments per day) can be completed in 1-4 weeks.

Ideally, patients receive treatment 5 days a week. Research has shown that the more consistent a patient is in receiving treatment, the more likely they are to respond to treatment. However, coming in 3-4 days per week is acceptable and can still lead to good results.

TMS intake appointments are with Dr. McClelland and last up to an hour long. During this time, Dr. McClelland will determine if you are a good candidate, go over TMS in more detail, and explain what to expect moving forward. If you are interested in self-pay, he will also discuss our various treatment options.

Your first TMS session will be longer than normal because we will need to find your treatment location and intensity. Finding these parameters usually takes about 20 minutes, and Dr. McClelland will assist during this process. After we find your ideal treatment location and intensity, you will receive your first treatment.

If you are struggling with depression and have not found success with antidepressants or talk therapy, TMS might be a great option for you.

Click here to learn more and take our short TMS suitability quiz.

Many patients respond well enough to TMS treatment that they are able to decrease dosage of or even discontinue their antidepressants after successful TMS therapy. However, results depend on the individual, and some patients do not alter their medication regimens after completing a course of TMS.

Results depend on the individual, but many patients continue to experience the benefits long after a course of TMS is completed. One observational study followed up with TMS patients 52 weeks after completing a course of TMS. About two-thirds of those who initially met response or remission criteria maintained their benefit a year later.

We do not offer the SAINT protocol, but we do offer accelerated TMS for self-pay patients. With accelerated TMS, patients are able to receive treatment up to 5 times a day. This drastically reduces the time it takes to complete a course of TMS, and patients can potentially feel better sooner.

TMS and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are very different treatments for depression. ECT uses electricity to induce small, therapeutic seizures in the brain, and while it is often effective, the treatment is invasive and requires patients to be put under general anesthesia. Memory loss is one of many possible serious side effects. After each treatment, patients will need some recovery time and a ride home. 

Conversely, TMS therapy uses magnetic pulses instead of electricity and does not work by inducing seizures. It is non-invasive, requires no anesthesia, and has not been shown to cause systemic side effects, such as memory loss. Patients are able to resume their normal daily activities immediately after each TMS session.

Most health insurers cover TMS, and TMS Washington is In-Network with the majority of regional and national health insurance companies, including Aetna, Regence, Premera, United Healthcare, Apple Health, Molina, Medicare, Coordinated Care, Community Health Plan, First Choice Health, Lifewise, and more.

Please call at 206-503-2450 or contact us to receive a free insurance verification.

We still want TMS to be accessible to you, and offer a few self-pay options.

1. Contact us to see if TMS is right for you and confirm insurance benefits or self-pay.
2. Meet with Dr. McClelland to learn more and get clinical approval.
3. We will work with your insurance carrier to gain TMS authorization, if applicable.
4. Begin your first treatment.