First you will check-in at the Front Desk, located in Suite 500 B, to fill out new patient paperwork.
CHECK-IN
MEET TECHNICIAN
The TMS Technician will come out and escort you to the TMS room. You will sit in a comfy chair under the TMS machine. The Technician will first ask you a few questions about your mood and symptoms before starting. The Doctor will then come in to assist with the mapping.
BRAIN MAPPING
Your first appointment will be longer than the rest of your appointments because your brain will first be mapped to find the treatment location. You will be provided earplugs to protect hearing during all TMS treatments. If using the BrainsWay machine, the technician will then place a blue cap on your head, then place some rulers or a grid on top. The technician will maneuver the coils around the head, observing the twitches in your hand and locating the strongest response. Once the location is found, your Motor Threshold (MT) will be discovered to find out how much power we can safely to deliver to stimulate your hand and neurons.
After your MT is checked, the coil will be positioned to the front part of the brain to determine your treatment location.
COIL PLACEMENT
After treatment location is mapped, the coils for treatment will be placed in the front of the head to start treatment. For BrainsWay, the helmet will be positioned above your eyebrow bone and the chin strap will be tightened to ensure the coild is kept into place.
TREATMENT
Once the coils are positioned, the technician will start delivering a few magnetic pulses at a reduced power. The technician will slowly warm you up by giving you more pulses and build your tolerance to reduce the chance of tension headaches. The pulses feel like a tapping sensation on your head and after a week of treatment you will get used to the sensation. You are free to go on your phone, watch TV, relax, or read a book once treatment has started.
CHECK-OUT & SCHEDULE
After you are done with the mapping, you will walk to the Front Desk to schedule the rest of your treatments. You are safe to return to work or home after you are done. You may experience some headaches the first week. TMS is very safe but seizures can occur, less than 1%, and are preventable by getting plenty of sleep while avoiding any changes in alcohol consumption and medications.
Schedule a Consultation to Learn More
CONTACT US
Sandhya Prashad, M.D.