Preparing for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation & What To Expect
Preparing for noninvasive brain treatment
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Treatment Process
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) specialists at the Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation treat a variety of neurologic and behavioral health conditions. We want to help you understand and prepare for noninvasive brain stimulation treatment, specifically transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy.
Learn more about noninvasive brain stimulation for psychiatric conditions.
Our Referral Process
Once we receive the completed paperwork from your referring physician, our neuromodulation coordinator will review the forms. We’ll contact you by phone within a week to discuss your payment options.
Your Initial Consultation & Evaluation
We typically schedule evaluation appointments about one to three weeks in advance. You will meet with a psychiatrist and a neurologist to gather information and discuss whether noninvasive brain stimulation is an appropriate treatment for you. Each evaluation takes about an hour.
At that time, you and your doctors will review your symptoms, treatment history and possible treatment options. We’ll also run diagnostic tests and ask questions to ensure that it is safe for you to have this treatment. We’ll work with your other providers to develop a course of therapy tailored to meet your needs.
Getting Started with Your Treatments
If the care team determines that noninvasive brain stimulation using TMS is the right treatment option for you, they will work to get approval from your insurance company. After insurance coverage is confirmed, the TMS team will schedule your first treatment. Treatment sessions are scheduled two to four weeks in advance.
What To Expect During Treatment
You’ll be awake during treatment and reclined in a comfortable chair. A member of the treatment team will hold a coil (shaped like a figure eight) in place over your head during the treatment session. As the current passes through the coil, it creates a magnetic field. This induces a current in your brain.
People receiving TMS often describe feeling a repetitive tapping sensation on their head. The TMS coil also produces a loud clicking sound. For that reason, we always provide earplugs. Our welcome packet includes a list of approved earplugs if you prefer bringing your own.
After the treatment, you can resume your normal, everyday activities including driving. The treatment session does not affect your ability to drive. If you are unable to drive for other medical reasons, please arrange for someone to drive you to and from your sessions. We can validate your parking if you come for treatment at least three times per week.
Treatment Stages
Noninvasive brain stimulation generally consists of an induction period followed by a taper or continuation phase with less frequent sessions. Depending on your response, acute treatment (inductions) usually involves daily treatment sessions (Monday through Friday) over a four- to six-week period.
After your initial acute treatment, your team may recommend tapered sessions. Doctors will discuss options with you during your follow-up evaluations and determine whether you would likely benefit from more treatments.
More About Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Treatments
We follow the hospital procedures regarding visitors during outpatient care. Please review the BIDMC visiting hours and policies for up-to-date guidelines.
For the safety of the animal, we do not allow service animals in the treatment rooms. You can bring a service animal to the visit — but not into the treatment room — as long as you bring someone with you to supervise the animal during your treatment.
Our volunteer services office may be able to help. Please let your care team know ahead of time if you plan to bring a service animal.
Insurance providers generally cover the cost of noninvasive brain stimulation treatments. However, each insurance plan differs. If you haven’t been preapproved, we will work with you to try to get reimbursed by your carrier.
You can choose to pay out-of-pocket for treatments if your insurance does not cover the procedure. For more information and a list of our current rates, please email us.
TMS is not right for everyone, and there can be side effects. You may have headaches after treatment. In most cases, the headache goes away after taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol.
Another common side effect is ringing in the ears. We provide earplugs to try to prevent this.
Other side effects include a small risk of seizure. This is a very rare complication, occurring in less than 1 in every 30,000 people. Good physical health can lower your risk even further.
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