TMS Treatment
The first and only FDA Approved treatment for depression that does not require surgery or medication, and is safe and effective
Available to patients and non-patients
“I am so excited to have a non-pharmaceutical treatment right here in the office for people suffering from depression. The studies using TMS technologies fill me with optimism, and I’m looking forward to a brighter future!” - Dr. Kate
Atkinson Family Practice is the proud home of an exciting new alternative treatment for individuals with depression called TMS! TMS stands for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, and is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for depression that does not require surgery or medication, and is safe and effective. When medication management becomes too much, side effects overwhelming, or non-traditional approaches exhausted, individuals coping with depression may have an answer at last.
According to John Hopkins, TMS is a, “non-invasive method of brain stimulation that relies on electromagnetic induction using an insulated coil over the scalp, focused on an area of the brain thought to play a role in mood regulation.” It is comparable to MRI machines in terms of the strength and pulse of the waves it generates. The rapid succession of the pulses produces lasting, healthful results in brain activity. In some cases, TMS has shown long-lasting, favorable results, and could be a long sought-after solution.
Read Pam's TMS testimony on our blog!
Am I eligible for TMS?
Let’s consider the following questions…
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Have you been diagnosed with major depression?
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Have you tried more than two(possibly more than 4) different antidepressant treatments? Have you had side effects on the highest doses or a non response?
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Have you had psychotherapy recently?
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Do depression symptoms interfere with your day-to-day life?
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Are you dissatisfied with results from your antidepressants?
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Have you worried about side effects from your depression medication?
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Are you interested in a proven, non-drug therapy for your depression?
If you answered yes to several of these questions, please head to the bottom of our forms page to fill out the eligibility form and email it to our TMS technician. This is your first step before setting up a consultation. If you have any questions about the therapy, please contact our office to speak to a TMS technician or your Primary Care Provider at (413) 549-8400.
(NOTE: TMS is not right for you if you have a non-removable conductive metal in/near the head. There is a rare risk of seizure associated with the use of TMS in patients who have a high potential for seizure based on genetic history. TMS has not been studied in patients who have had no prior antidepressant treatments)
ABOUT TMS
Welcome to TMS Treatment at Atkinson Family Practice. We provide patients in Amherst, MA and surrounding area the latest in depression treatments. We are pleased to be able to offer Neurostar® TMS Therapy to our patients. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy is one of the most technologically advanced depression treatments available. This non-invasive, outpatient therapy is FDA cleared and has helped thousands of depression patients who have not received adequate results from antidepressants. TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is the first and only FDA Approved treatment for depression that does not require surgery or medication, and is safe and effective. TMS has had extensive research to back it up at several major medical research universities, and the only side effect is slight scalp discomfort during the actual procedure.
NeuroStar TMS Therapy is the first non-systemic and non-invasive outpatient depression treatment cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients who have not benefited from prior antidepressant treatment. NeuroStar TMS Therapy uses highly focused, pulsed magnetic fields to stimulate function in targeted brain regions.
NeuroStar TMS Therapy is:
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Non-invasive, meaning that it does not involve surgery. It does not require any anesthesia or sedation, as the patient remains awake and alert during the treatment.
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Non-systemic, meaning that it is not taken by mouth and does not circulate in the bloodstream throughout the body.
Learn more about this non-drug depression treatment
Dr. Nora
About Dr. Nora
Nora was trained in psychiatry at New England Medical Center Cambridge Health Alliance, and Harvard University Student Services, and received training at Boston Psychoanalytic Association. She has extensive training psychopharmacology and emergency psychiatry.
The opportunity to work at an integrative medical practice AND raise her family in the town she grew up in was too good to be true, so Nora joined the AFP team about three years ago. She believes she definitely made the right decision. Nora and her husband are the proud parents of two special needs teenagers, and their many talents continue to amaze them every day. In her free time, Nora loves skiing and swimming with her boys, and escaping the chaos of everyday life with her husband for date nights at the movies.