Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
At Nelmar Health Centers, we offer transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which is a non-drug, non-invasive therapy that uses targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain that are underactive in people suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). TMS is pain-free, FDA-approved, and is considered safe and well-tolerated, with minimal side effects. The most common side-effect is headaches, which are often mild and generally diminish over the course of the treatment.
During a TMS session with one of our physicians, coils are placed on a client’s head and magnetic pulses painlessly and easily pass through the skull and into the brain, which induces brief activity in the brain cells underneath the coil. This produces changes in nerve activity in regions of the brain that are involved in mood regulation, such as the prefrontal cortex. Because we know that specific areas of the brain are known to be underactive in those diagnosed with depression, stimulating these areas can improve the brain’s ability to regulate mood.
We pair TMS with a wide array of our other services in order to optimize its benefits. After a comprehensive assessment to understand each client’s unique presentation, we create a treatment plan that is executed by our multidisciplinary team. Our holistic health practitioner will learn about your diet and lifestyle habits and ask you about stress, and anxiety — both of which can be contributing factors for your depression. The holistic practitioner then may recommend a new diet, changes in lifestyle, and massage with essential oils performed by our massage therapist, which will achieve stress reduction, and improve mood and sleep. Your program may include a combination of individual, group, and family therapy to explore the underlying causes for your depression. Moreover, our mindfulness counselors and neuropsychology technicians will support these interventions with mindfulness techniques and neurofeedback to complete the body, mind, and spirit cycle in order to support your efforts toward achieving your goals. Finally, our weekend mediation and yoga classes are a great way to enhance your treatment plan, maintain the gains you have achieved, and be a part of our small community where you can meet friends and find understanding and social support.