Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) helps patients with mental health and neurological symptoms when other treatments are ineffective. Experienced neurosurgeon Yan Michael Li, MD, PhD, at the Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute, offers TMS to patients with depression, anxiety, postconcussion syndrome, and other distressing conditions. Call the Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute’s office in San Antonio or Houston, Texas, or Upstate, New York, today or book an appointment online to learn how TMS can relieve your suffering.

Why might I need transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)?

TMS is an alternative treatment for patients with major depressive disorder (depression) that doesn’t improve with psychotherapy (talk therapies) and medication. The Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute also uses TMS to help patients with:

• Anxiety disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)

Mental health disorders, and brain injuries can be devastating and affect your memory, personality, appetite, and sleep. You can be overwhelmed by hopelessness, self-loathing, fear, panic, and other negative feelings.

You can’t control or change these thoughts and emotions without help, which involves psychotherapy, medication, or, for most patients, both. While these treatments help many people, others experience little or no symptom improvement. If therapy and medication aren’t helping you, TMS can be an effective solution.

How does TMS work?

Your brain’s neurons (nerve cells) use chemicals like dopamine and serotonin to communicate. These neurotransmitters are usually low in people suffering from mental health conditions and persistent head trauma, a situation that TMS can fix.

TMS devices use electromagnetic coils to produce a magnetic field that delivers energy pulses through your skull. Standard TMS machines transmit around 2,340 pulses per session, but more advanced devices deliver far more rapid pulses, reducing treatment time.

The energy pulses create electrical currents in the part of your brain controlling your mood. This increased brain activity raises your neurotransmitter levels and encourages new connections to form between the neurons. Higher neurotransmitter levels significantly improve your mood and ease other unpleasant symptoms.

What does TMS involve?

TMS is a noninvasive procedure causing no or minimal discomfort. You don’t need sedation, an anesthetic, or special preparations for your TMS treatment at the Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute.

You sit in a comfortable treatment chair, and Dr. Li positions the TMS coil on your head. The ideal energy output varies between patients, so he tests and adjusts the device to achieve the most effective settings.

When TMS treatment begins, you hear clicking and might feel a tapping sensation. This isn’t painful, but some patients have mild headaches after treatment.

How often do I need TMS?

For the best results, Dr. Li recommends patients have TMS treatments 4-5 times a week for 4-6 weeks. But this schedule will vary depending on your condition and the results you get. If your symptoms return, it’s safe to have further TMS treatments.

Call the Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute today or book an appointment online to learn how TMS can help your brain heal.