Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Dr. Cole provides TMS in a comprehensive, one-one, effective treatment that focuses on the individual patient and their needs. He is recognized as one of the leading providers of TMS in the KC area. He walks through the entire experience with you, from information gathering, answering all your insurance questions, and scheduling of your individualized treatment.
Dr. Cole’s office is conveniently located near state line in a handicap access building with easy access to parking. The facility features rooms for TMS therapy treatments, examination and consulting rooms, a conference room, and offices for our health professionals.
Dr. Cole’s staff is inviting and efficient and will work with you to ensure you are taken care of. The treatment rooms have been designed to be comfortable and allow for a positive experience.
What is TMS?
TMS is an effective, non-invasive, non-drug treatment option for Major Depression. It does not require sedation or anesthesia and is a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. TMS is typically used when other depression treatments haven’t been effective. It is FDA approved and covered by most insurances companies.
What is Treatment Like?
TMS treatment is an outpatient procedure and requires no anesthesia or sedation. This treatment for depression involves delivering repetitive magnetic pulses, so it’s called repetitive TMS or rTMS. TMS uses rapid magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in the area of the brain known to control mood. The magnetic pulses make a clicking sound and feel like a mild tapping on the scalp.
TMS works by placing a magnetic coil on the scalp which painlessly delivers repeated, magnetic pulses to a targeted area of the brain which helps control mood and depression. The magnetic pulses deliver energy to stimulate neurons in the brain to effectively activate areas of inactivity in the brain. Typical TMS side effects are mild irritation and discomfort of the scalp and headaches which are easily treated with over the counter medications such as Ibuprofen or Acetominophen.
A typical treatment course consists of at least thirty treatments, usually five treatments a week for six weeks, although the treatment schedule can vary based on patient response. Each procedure typically lasts under 30 minutes during which time the patients are awake, alert and comfortable. Our TMS Specialists are present throughout the treatment and interact with the patient while continuously monitoring the treatment to ensure the patient’s comfort and the maximum efficacy of the treatment.
During the first treatment, called “mapping” several measurements are made to ensure that the TMS coil will be properly positioned over the patient’s head. A series of short, non-painful pulses are administered to elicit a motor response in the patients thumb to determine the exact location for treatment. The machine will make a series of clicking noises as the pulses are being delivered.
Careful and skilled mapping is a crucial part of successful and effective TMS.
Dr. Cole strategizes with the TMS technician prior to each patient mapping session. The doctor and technician discuss which machine best fits the patient as well as pertinent considerations relative to the holistic needs of the patient conditions. During the mapping process Dr. Cole and the technician will locate the particular spot, usually on the left front part of the top of the head, where the magnet device needs to be closest to. This involves approximately a half dozen measurements which the Dr. and technician work together to compile. Doing this with care and rechecking is critical to the successful outcome for the TMS, and most importantly, is what sets the stage for the resulting critical relief from depression for the patient.
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Natural Alternative
TMS treatment is an excellent alternative for patients looking for a natural or holistic treatment option. Within two years, TMS had become so accepted by the medical community as an effective treatment for depression that the American Psychiatric Association began recommending TMS as a second-line treatment for depression.
Successful Results
Over two million TMS treatments have been done in the U.S. since TMS was approved by the FDA. TMS is a non-invasive, safe and effective treatment option for people suffering from drug-resistant depression. It has also been used safely and effectively used for several other conditions, including: Anxiety Disorder; Eating Disorders; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); pain management (including Fibromyalgia); Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (“OCD”); Tinnitus; Bipolar Disorder; and other mood and neurological disorders.