What is Pulse TMS

Depression affects over 300 million people worldwide, and researchers think that by 2020 it will be the second leading cause of disability. In the US alone, 30,000 people commit suicide each year, 60% of whom suffered from major depression.

One of the common causes of depression is an imbalance in the person’s brain chemistry – and that’s the focus of TMS as it streams a series of magnetic pulses to the brain. By stimulating neurons in the brain, depression is then lessened. Scientists believe that focusing on a specific site in the brain lessens the chance for the types of side effects associated with Electroconvulsive Therapy – but opinions vary as to which exact site that is.

Anti-depression medication is fairly effective, but not everyone responds to it. The Journal of the American Medical Association has stated 4.5 million Americans who suffer depression do not respond to meds. That makes TMS a perfect choice for those who find medications useless.

The procedure is quite simple and is performed in a doctor’s office. The patient is sat in a chair, and the TMS device is then placed on their head. After receiving twenty minutes of pulses from the set, the patient is then free to drive home or return to work. Therapy is usually given five days a week for four-to-six weeks, with treatments tapering off as that window comes to a close. No sedation is required.