NeuroStar(R) TMS Therapy
Does it work?
For people who have not found relief with antidepressants, NeuroStar is a safe and proven depression treatment without the systemic side effects of medication. Over 4.8 million NeuroStar Advanced TMS treatments have been performed in over 134,000 patients.
Does it hurt?
Many patients experience side effects from their medication, increasing the chance that they will stop taking them. The most common side effect with NeuroStar is mild to moderate pain or discomfort at the treatment site. For most patients this subsides within the first week of treatment.
Is it covered?
Most major insurances cover NeuroStar TMS, including Medicare plans nationwide.
About Neurostar TMS
NeuroStar uses transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to target key areas of the brain that are underactive in people with depression. It is not ECT (electroconvulsive therapy).
What is NeuroStar Advanced Therapy (TMS)?
NeuroStar uses focused magnetic pulses (similar in strength to an MRI), to revitalize underactive areas of the brain involved in regulating mood. When these regions are underactive, depression can result. “Waking up” these regions can have a lasting effect on depression, making long-term remission from depression a reality for many people.
Treatment with NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is easy:
- Therapy sessions are conducted in your NeuroStar doctor’s office
- You can return to normal activities right away
- You are awake during treatment
- There are no negative effects on memory or sleep
- It’s covered by most health insurance plans, including Medicare and Tricare
What to Expect?
Here’s what you can expect from a NeuroStar Advanced Therapy (TMS) session:
Before Treatment
You’ll recline comfortably in the treatment chair. A curved magnetic coil will be positioned on your head.
During Treatment
You’ll hear a clicking sound and feel a tapping sensation on your head as the NeuroStar coil focuses treatment precisely at the source of the depression: the brain. The patented Contact Sensing technology ensures the prescribed dose is delivered, every treatment, every pulse.
After Treatment
With NeuroStar TMS you are fully awake and alert during treatment and may drive home and resume daily activities immediately afterwards. Depending on your doctor’s recommendation, a typical NeuroStar treatment plan includes 36 sessions that each last between 19-37 minutes. Completing the full NeuroStar treatment course gives the best chance for delivering long-lasting relief from depression.
FAQs
What is NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)?
NeuroStar TMS is a non-drug, noninvasive treatment that uses focused magnetic fields to revitalize underactive areas of the brain to improve symptoms of depression. NeuroStar is a safe, effective depression treatment for people who have not found relief from antidepressants.
How does NeuroStar TMS work?
NeuroStar uses focused magnetic pulses (similar in strength to an MRI), to revitalize underactive areas of the brain involved in regulating mood. When these regions are underactive, depression can result. “Waking up” these regions can have a lasting effect on depression, making long-term remission from depression a reality for many people.
How long is NeuroStar TMS treatment?
A typical NeuroStar treatment plan includes 36 sessions that each last between 19-37 minutes. Your doctor will determine what is right for you. Completing the full NeuroStar treatment course gives the best chance for delivering long-lasting relief from depression.
Is NeuroStar TMS Therapy covered by my insurance?
NeuroStar is covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare and Tricare. Over 300 million people have insurance plans that cover NeuroStar.
Is NeuroStar TMS Therapy a good alternative for patients who cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressant medications?
NeuroStar is a safe and effective treatment without the systemic side effects of medication. The most common side effect is mild to moderate pain or discomfort at the treatment site. For most patients this subsides within the first week of treatment.
Is NeuroStar TMS Therapy like other alternative therapies that use magnets to treat some illnesses?
No. TMS Therapy involves a unique method of using pulsed magnetic fields for a therapeutic benefit. The intensity of the magnetic field is similar to that of an MRI. These techniques differ radically from the popular use of low intensity, static magnetic fields. Those products deliver weak and undirected static fields that are not capable of activating brain cells. The activation and stimulation of brain cells is a key part of why TMS is so effective.
Is NeuroStar TMS safe for teens?
NeuroStar TMS has been FDA-cleared as a first-line add-on treatment for adolescents ages 15 and older. The FDA considers NeuroStar TMS as a first-line add-on therapy, meaning it’s another option for depression treatment for you or a loved one. Nearly 10,000 adolescents have been treated with over 300,000 NeuroStar sessions.*2,3
*2. FDA Clearance K231926 The outcomes reported represent the subset of study patients for which the CGI-S data was reported before and after an acute course of NeuroStar TMS. Patients aged 12 to 21 (average 19.2 ± 1.5) were treated under real-world conditions where patients may have been prescribed concomitant depression treatments including medications. “Measurable relief”was defined as a CGI-S score ≤3 and “complete remission” was defined as a CGI-S score ≤2 at the end of treatment.
*3 Data on file. Neuronetics, Inc. 2024.
Connect with Honey Lake Clinic Today
Faith-based mental health treatment at Honey Lake Clinic can help you or your loved one find lasting freedom from depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Call 888.428.0562 or reach out online to learn more about our TMS therapy program and other treatment options—we’re available 24/7 to answer your questions and help you take the first steps.
Indication Statement
The NeuroStar Advanced Therapy System is indicated for the treatment of depressive episodes and for decreasing anxiety symptoms for those who may exhibit comorbid anxiety symptoms in adult patients suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and who failed to achieve satisfactory improvement from previous antidepressant medication treatment in the current episode.
The NeuroStar Advanced Therapy system is intended to be used as an adjunct for the treatment of adult patients suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is only available by prescription. A doctor can help decide if NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is right for you. Patients’ results may vary.
The most common side effect is pain or discomfort at or near the treatment site. These events are transient; they occur during the TMS treatment course and do not occur for most patients after the first week of treatment. There is a rare risk of seizure associated with the use of TMS therapy (<0.1% per patient).
Visit neurostar.com for full safety and prescribing information.
Clinical & Academic References
Carpenter LL, et al. (2012). Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Major Depression: A Multisite, Naturalistic, Observational Study of Acute Treatment Outcomes in Clinical Practice. Depression and Anxiety, 29(7):587-596. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22689344
George MS, et al. (2010). Daily Left Prefrontal Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder: A Sham-Controlled Randomized Trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 67(5):507-516. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20439832
Dunner DL, et al. (2014). A Multisite, Naturalistic, Observational Study of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Patients with Pharmacoresistant Major Depressive Disorder: Durability of Benefit Over a 1-Year Follow-Up Period. J Clin Psychiatry. 75(12):1394-1401. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25271871
O’Reardon JP, et al. (2007). Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Acute Treatment of Major Depression: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial. Biol Psychiatry, 62(11):1208-1216. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17573044
