What is TMS
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy initiates changes by stimulating specific regions in the brain with electromagnetic pulses to increase brain activity and change brain pathways and connections. TMS therapy is a safe, non-invasive treatment that can be administered on an outpatient basis, and does not require hospitalization or anaesthesia.
Who does it help
- Those experiencing depression
- Those experiencing obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Those who haven’t found relief from medication & psychotherapy and have the below conditions:
- PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Chronic Pain conditions
What are the benefits?
Safe & Approved
TMS is an evidence based treatment that is Health Canada approved and effective for treatment-resistant depression and OCD.
Medication-Free
TMS uses magnetic pulses to change your brain. No daily medications or their bothersome long-term side effects (eg. Weight gain, sexual side effects).
Fast & Effective
Treat your depression in 3 weeks. 82 % of patients experience a response and 65 % experience remission with 30-50 sessions of treatment.
Flexible
Sessions are scheduled around your hectic life to have as little impact as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please contact your benefit or insurance provider to see if you qualify for full or partial coverage of TMS therapy. If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident, your insurance will likely cover it if it is necessary and reasonable. Blue Cross for Veterans Affairs and active Canadian Forces personnel will usually cover it for Treatment-Resistant Depression and/or PTSD.
Treatment plans are individualized. Please contact the clinic for more information regarding cost.
No, it’s not yet covered by OHIP. In 2016 Health Quality Ontario (HQO) submitted a report to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and it recommended that TMS Therapy be a covered benefit of OHIP but the ministry never did anything with it. We are hopeful that TMS will be covered in the next couple of years but we don’t know for sure.
TMS therapy is not at all like Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT). ECT is a treatment based on using electricity to induce seizures. It is very effective and in many cases, it is a life-saver. ECT requires anesthesia and can have serious side-effects, including memory loss. It is only done in a hospital. On the other hand, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation uses electromagnetic pulses to non-invasively stimulate specific brain regions associated with major depressive disorder. No seizures are required for the treatment to be effective, and they are a very rare adverse event (< 4/50000) that we avoid at all costs. TMS therapy is performed in our office, requires no anesthesia, and has no systemic side effects.
Book A Free Consultation
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Please complete the contact form and we will contact you as soon as possible to book a consultation regarding TMS.
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