What is Accelerated TMS?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a drug-free, highly effective treatment for depression and other mood disorders. Folks living with mood disorders typically have low activity in specific areas of the brain involved in mood regulation. TMS works by using targeted magnetic pulses to activate or regulate these specific areas of your brain.
TMS is an effective, safe, and non-invasive way to treat depression and other mood disorders. But what makes Accelerated TMS different? Accelerated TMS offers a faster and more convenient alternative to standard TMS. With Accelerated TMS, multiple TMS treatments can be administered in a single day, allowing you to see results faster.
Get StartedHow Does TMS Work?
TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is a safe and non-invasive treatment for depression. Similar to an MRI machine, it uses magnetic pulses to stimulate unaffected areas of the brain in individuals with various mental health conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and smoking cessation, among others.
At Bespoke Treatment clinical office locations in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Las Vegas, our experienced clinical specialists administer drug-free treatments. A typical comprehensive TMS treatment consists of sessions five days a week for approximately six weeks. This FDA-approved treatment has shown great success in various mental health conditions and has also been used to treat chronic pain and memory loss.
When you go with Accelerated TMS near you at Bespoke Treatment, you’ll be able to complete treatment in five days total, reducing the duration of treatment by seven weeks.
A 2010 study of the Accelerated TMS protocol demonstrated efficacy comparable to that achieved with standard daily TMS. Subsequent studies have also shown that traditional and accelerated TMS treatments for depression yield nearly identical response rates.
About Accelerated TMS
Accelerated TMS, a new alternative to traditional TMS treatment, has emerged as a promising therapy for depression. At Stanford University, researchers developed the SAINT™ program (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy™), which involves 9-minute sessions, once per hour, for 10 per day for five consecutive days.
The program uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to effectively block the subgenual cingulate cortex, the most profound structure of the brain and has resulted in remission in 90% of participants. While the SAINT™ program is currently not available outside of clinical trials, Accelerated TMS for depression using ten sessions per day for five days is an option. However, transient fatigue and headache may occur as the most frequently reported adverse events.
The FDA has approved TMS treatment regimens for depression for approximately six weeks, with varying treatment intervals and durations decreasing over time. Recently, the FDA approved an intermittent theta burst protocol delivered in 3-minute increments. Accelerated TMS for depression utilizes this theta burst frequency three times in a row for 9-minute sessions.
The Accelerated TMS approach has been tested in two randomized clinical trials, which showed promising results. In the first study, 90.5% of participants achieved remission, while in the second study, 79% of those treated with Accelerated TMS achieved results.
At our clinic, we believe in personalized and comprehensive treatment approaches tailored to each patient’s unique history and needs. Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is designed to provide individualized treatment plans for each patient to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Am I a Good Candidate for Accelerated TMS?
If you’re considering transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy, traditional TMS requires daily sessions for several weeks. This can be challenging, especially if you live far from the treatment center. However, a 5-day TMS program might work for you.
The 5-day program is designed to suit particular situations, and it’s worth calling us to see if it suits your needs. This program offers an intensive treatment schedule lasting five consecutive days rather than several weeks of daily sessions. Although it’s still intense, it can be more practical for some patients.
Advantages of Accelerated TMS
Accelerated TMS offers the same advantages as conventional TMS for depression and carries similar side effects, mainly mild headaches at the beginning of the treatment course.
However, undergoing daily TMS sessions for 7-8 weeks may not be feasible for some patients, especially those with busy schedules or those living far from treatment facilities. Combining all therapeutic sessions could significantly expedite the implementation of TMS in clinical settings, although TMS for anxiety is currently rarely performed in hospitals.
Considering that TMS can be combined with other depression treatments, accelerated TMS may be a better fit for your mental health care needs.
Disadvantages of Accelerated TMS
- Not covered by insurance
- Cost prohibitive for some
- Challenges for insomniacs in managing their sleep
- Potential side effects such as temporary headache or mild fatigue
Furthermore, we don’t recommend TMS treatment for individuals who:
- Have metal implants located above the neck area, especially aneurysm clips from neurosurgery, as they may pose a risk during TMS therapy.
- Use implant devices such as pacemakers, vagus nerve stimulators, and other battery-operated devices, as TMS magnets can potentially affect these devices, causing interference with their physiological sensing.
- Have a history of seizures, as they may be at a higher risk of experiencing a seizure during TMS therapy.
In such cases, it is advisable to consult a medical expert to assess the risk and take necessary precautions to minimize the possibility of seizures.
How Does Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Work? Is TMS Safe?
TMS is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate certain parts of the brain in individuals with mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, and smoking cessation.
It has shown significant success in treating other mental health disorders like eating disorders, insomnia, PTSD, panic attacks, adult ADHD, chronic pain, and memory loss.
TMS for depression is a popular treatment that has been used for years to stimulate the left dorsolateral frontal cortex (DLPFC) region of the brain. TMS for anxiety is also a new FDA-approved treatment option. Depending on the individual’s mental health assessment, TMS can also help revive decreased activity in other regions of the brain that are associated with anxiety and other mental health disorders.
At Bespoke Treatment Mental Health Clinic in California and Nevada, we offer TMS for depression to our patients, along with other forms of psychotherapy, to help them cope with their mental health issues.
What Should I Expect During Accelerated TMS Therapy?
Our team of experts uses advanced methods to determine the exact location of the LDLPFC in your brain before proceeding with TMS treatment for anxiety. Every brain is unique and requires a personalized approach.
At Bespoke, we offer TMS for anxiety as a non-surgical procedure that doesn’t require sedation with sedatives. During your session, you will sit in a comfortable chair with a TMS device in a specific position above your head. Most of our patients report a slight feeling of chest tightness during the treatment, which is not painful. Our team accompanies you throughout every session and remains available to answer any questions or address any concerns.
One of the best things about TMS therapy is that it doesn’t cause any side effects. Some patients report a headache within a short period after completion, but this subsides quickly. You can still drive yourself to and from your appointment and continue with your day-to-day life without any disruption. In some rare cases, patients may experience mild facial movements on stimulation during the treatment, which stop as soon as the session is completed.
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Experience Relief With Accelerated TMS Therapy
If you are searching for the best TMS therapy provider in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Santa Monica, Bespoke Treatment is the right place for you. Contact our mental health professionals to find the best treatment options.
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