Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Safe.  Effective.  Evidence-based.  Science-backed.

Medications have been the Standard of Care for treating Depression, Anxious Depression, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), but many have found that medication has failed due to lack of relief and/or intolerable side-effects.

The Star D study, conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), evaluated the effectiveness of medicine in treating depression.

It’s results were shocking!

At best, medicine provides a 27.5% chance of improving symptoms.  And with each change in medication your chances of improving goes down – to as low as 6.9%!

Additionally, each change in medication increases your odds of stopping medication due to side effects!

Well Thought, PLLC is excited to offer a NEW Standard of Care for those suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Anxious Depression, and/or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

NeuroStar TMS is an innovative, safe, and effective treatment that has study-backed real-world outcomes showing that 83% of people with depression experience significant reduction in symptoms, and 62% achieve remission.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, drug-free, safe treatment option used to treat various mental health conditions.  Magnetic pulses are precisely directed into specific mood controlling regions of the brain, to painlessly “wake-up” underactive or broken connections to restore optimal function.

NeuroStar TMS is a non-invasive FDA-cleared therapy that uses short magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in the area of the brain that controls mood.  These pulses can have a lasting effect on the brain’s neurotransmitter levels, helping people suffering from depression, anxiety symptoms in those with depression, and OCD achieve response and in some cases long-term remission from depression symptoms.  Because NeuroStar is not a drug, it doesn’t cause the side effects that are often associated with antidepressants.

Having undergone extensive testing and receiving Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use with both adolescents and adults, real-world study outcomes have shown that 83% of patients experienced measurable improvement and 62% of patients experienced remission.

Comparing this to medication – the largest clinical trial, the Star*D study, showed no patient reaching these positive outcomes with medication.  In fact, the study showed that each time a patient trialed a new medication, the likelihood of reaching remission decreased.

An FDA-cleared depression treatment, NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is safe and easy to tolerate.  Because it’s non-drug and non-invasive, it does not have the common systemic side effects of medication.  NeuroStar does not have any effects on cognition or sleep.  The most common side effect associated with NeuroStar is mild to moderate pain or discomfort that typically subsides within the first week of treatment.

NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is covered by most major insurance companies for qualifying patients.

While every insurance company has their own specific policy details, most major insurance companies will cover or reimburse for NeuroStar TMS treatment if:

MDD, or MDD with Anxious Depression

  • You’re an adult who has been diagnosed with moderate to severe Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
  • Your depression has not been relieved by at least 2 antidepressant medications (some insurance companies require up to 4 failed medications)
  • You are not pregnant or nursing

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • You’re an adult who has been diagnosed with OCD
  • You may be covered if your symptoms haven’t been relieved by at least 2 medications and psychotherapy hasn’t worked
  • You are not pregnant or nursing

No!  During the session, you will feel a tapping sensation on your head.  Treatment session range between 4 and 19 minutes, depending on which protocol is recommended.  Some NeuroStar patients experience mild to moderate pain or discomfort at or near the treatment site during the first week of treatment.  This is usually temporary and subsides in subsequent treatments.

No!  NeuroStar has been systematically evaluated for its effects on memory.  These clinical trials demonstrated that NeuroStar does not result in any adverse effects on memory or concentration.

NeuroStar is not experimental; it was cleared by the FDA in 2008 to help people fight depression and in 2022 for decreasing anxiety symptoms in adult patients suffering from major depressive disorder and as an adjunct therapy for adults with OCD.  Today, NeuroStar is the top TMS choice of doctors, and over 6.6 million treatments have been delivered.

No!  NeuroStar is not ECT (or electroconvulsive ”shock” therapy).  NeuroStar employs TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation), which uses magnetic waves similar in strength to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).  NeuroStar TMS is precise and focused, targeting treatment at the source of the depression: your brain.  With Neurostar TMS you are fully awake and alert during treatment and may resume daily activities immediately afterwards.  ECT, on the other hand, applies direct electrical current through the skull and into the brain rather than magnetic waves.  Because ECT uses direct electrical current, it must be done under anesthesia.

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