3-Minute Express TMS Therapy in Los Angeles, California

What is 3-minute express TMS?

Traditional TMS therapy is a safe and effective treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain. TMS was first FDA-cleared in 2008, and it has been utilized for over 10 years to treat depression that has not responded to conventional medications or therapies.

The FDA recently approved another type of TMS: theta burst stimulation (TBS). This treatment is also called express or 3-minute TMS. Traditional TMS uses pulses occur at a regular, repetitive frequency. TBS is distributed to the brain in patterned clusters of magnetic pulses, which target parts of the brain responsible for mood regulation.

What is the difference between TMS vs. TBS?

TBS is a form of TMS, but they have distinct differences. Traditional TMS pulses occur at a regular, repetitive frequency. Theta-burst pulses occur in short triplets, like patterned clusters of magnetic pulses. TBS can deliver the same number of pulses as traditional TMS treatment in a shorter amount of time. Like TMS, TBS is FDA-approved and uses gentle magnetic pulses to nurture specific areas of the brain responsible for mood regulation.

How does 3-minute TMS work?

During TBS treatment, patients sit comfortably in a treatment chair with a magnet placed above their head — similar to TMS. The magnetic coil transmits pulses to the front region of the brain. When pulses are being administered, the patient will hear a clicking sound and may feel a tapping on their scalp.

Most patients find the treatment easy to tolerate. TMS treatment does not involve sedatives, anesthetic, or hospital stays. Instead, TMS is noninvasive, and patients remain awake and alert during treatment.

Typically, TBS takes three minutes per day, five days per week, for an average of four to six weeks. If you would like to learn more about TBS for depression, contact us today.

Faster

For most patients, express TMS provides noticeable symptom reduction after eight to ten sessions (two weeks of treatment) unlike medications, which may take months. Treatment sessions with TBS are short. One TBS treatment only takes three minutes to complete, compared to a traditional TMS therapy which takes 20 to 45 minutes.

Both TMS and TBS are effective and typically consists of 36 treatment sessions over nine weeks. However, TBS drastically reduces the patient’s total amount of time in the office.

Low risk of side effects

Antidepressants may cause side effects, including:

• Weight gain.
• Sexual dysfunction.
• Fatigue.
• Sleep disturbance.
• Dry mouth.
• Constipation.
• Nausea.
• Headache.
• Blurred vision.

Some patients find themselves stopping antidepressant medications because they cannot tolerate the side effects.

Express TMS is a noninvasive and highly tolerable procedure. The most common side effect is mild scalp discomfort during active treatment. Other possible side effects include mild headache and fatigue.

It is important to note that TBS treatment is not electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). ECT is an invasive procedure that has more severe side effects, including confusion and memory loss. TMS does not require anesthesia, and its side effects are mild.

Great success rate

Express TMS has been shown to be a highly effective alternative to traditional TMS. For many patients, express TMS may help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Due to its efficacy, more insurance plans are offering coverage for express TMS.

Most patients experience notable improvement with TMS by session eight, nine, or 10 (about two weeks after starting treatment) as opposed to medications, which may take four to six weeks to relieve symptoms.

To schedule a consultation for express TMS, contact us online or by phone.