Starting a new treatment during your mental health journey can lead to a lot of questions, and when that new procedure involves a device delivering magnetic pulses to your brain, those questions are completely understandable. However, your first TMS session does not have to feel intimidating.
Knowing what to expect ahead of time makes a real difference. At Precise Mind, with offices in Flowood, Vicksburg, and Ridgeland, our team works hard to make sure you feel informed about the procedure and at ease from the moment you walk in.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive treatment cleared by the FDA for major depressive disorder. It uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain involved in mood. There is no anesthesia, no hospitalization, and no recovery period needed afterward. During your first session, our care team takes your comfort seriously and provides a TMS treatment process that fits into your everyday life.
Your first TMS appointment involves more than just sitting down and beginning. First, our providers will review your mental health history, your current medications, and any treatments you have already tried. By doing this, we make sure TMS is appropriate for you and that we tailor it to your specific needs.
Part of this initial visit includes mapping, where we take precise measurements of your head to determine exact coil placement. This step ensures that magnetic pulses reach the right region of the brain during every subsequent session. While mapping takes some time, getting it right from the beginning is what sets the rest of your treatment up for success.
Understanding what to expect can ensure that you have a smooth experience from start to finish of your treatment.
Once mapping is complete, your initial TMS session will begin. You will sit fully awake in a reclined chair with no sedation while a trained technician positions the TMS coil against your scalp. Each session lasts 19 minutes. During that time, you will hear a clicking sound and feel a tapping sensation where the coil makes contact.
Most patients tolerate TMS well, though some mild discomfort is possible in the first few sessions while your scalp adjusts. When it is over, you can drive yourself home, and you may also return to work.
Results from TMS are not immediate after a single session. Most patients begin to notice meaningful changes somewhere between weeks four and six. The full treatment course runs seven weeks, with five sessions per week. Staying consistent with that schedule is one of the most important things you can do to give the treatment the best chance of success.
Psychiatrists have been using NeuroStar TMS in more than 7.4 million treatments across more than 202,000 patients, and it has been part of more than 65 clinical studies. For many people who had been through round after round of medications without finding relief, that kind of outcome represents something they had stopped expecting before their initial TMS therapy session. Results can last up to a year, which gives you a substantial period of stability to build on.
If you have been wondering about your mental health treatment options, the best next step is a conversation with our team about what is involved in your first TMS session. Contact us today to schedule an appointment at Precise Mind's office, and let us help you determine whether TMS is a good option for you. We are ready when you are.