TMS for Depression
TMS for Depression in Colorado Springs and Monument
We use TMS devices from both Brainsway and MagVenture in our clinics. The TMS machine used for treatment is chosen based on each patient’s individual characteristics.
Why TMS For Depression Treatment?
Depression treatment with TMS uses a different approach than therapy or antidepressants. TMS directly targets the physical root causes in the brain that contribute to depression.
During a TMS session, a trained TMS technician positions a special magnetic coil directly over the target area of the brain. This device emits focused magnetic pulses that pass through the skull to stimulate neurons in the targeted brain areas, such as the Left Prefrontal Cortex, which plays a pivotal role in mood regulation.
These magnetic pulses create a stimulus/response effect in the brain, stimulating the brain to elevate brain activity and repair neural pathways within the brain. Over a series of repeated sessions, the damaged areas of the brain regain normal, healthy activity. TMS is one of the few available treatments that target brain function directly.
How Psychiatrists Treat Depression
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in diseases and disorders of the brain, including depression, major depressive disorder, and treatment-resistant depression.
At Colorado Psychiatry Solutions in Monument and Colorado Springs, our psychiatrists treat patients for depression using advanced methods such as antidepressant medication, ketamine infusions, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, and TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation).
Why Patients Prefer TMS for Depression Therapy
Many patients prefer TMS over other depression treatment options because:
- TMS is non-pharmaceutical. TMS directly stimulates the brain to achieve healing; it does not use medications (such as antidepressants) to achieve relief. This is a significant factor for patients who experienced negative side effects from medication or who want to use as few medications as possible.
- TMS is effective. TMS boasts high response and remission rates, even for patients with severe depression or who have been diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression. Because TMS uses a different functional approach than antidepressants, it often succeeds in patients who are treatment-resistant.
- TMS is covered by insurance. TMS is covered by most medical insurance as a covered benefit. Colorado Psychiatry Solutions accepts most major commercial plans, TRICARE, and TriWest (Veteran’s) insurance plans.
- TMS is long-lasting. TMS patients continue to maintain a beneficial response long after TMS therapy has finished. Patients do not have to remember to take daily medication to maintain the benefit.
- TMS has no systemic side effects. TMS is extremely well-tolerated. It is non-invasive, requires no anesthesia or numbing, and has no systemic side effects.
Who Is a Good Candidate for TMS?
Children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly all experience depression. Until recently, TMS was only FDA-approved to treat depression in patients who were 18 and older. In 2024, the FDA granted approval for depression treatment in adolescents ages 15-17 and in late-life depression treatment for patients ages 68-86.
Insurance coverage for treatment may not yet be offered by your insurance company for adolescents and elderly patients since the approval is so recent (see information box below). TMS is considered a second-line treatment for depression. Patients are generally required to try one or more antidepressant medications and attend a number of therapy sessions in order to receive insurance approval for treatment.
Note that these requirements only apply to patients looking for insurance coverage for treatment. Self-pay patients do not need to meet the same requirements and can be approved for TMS by a psychiatrist at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions.
For active-duty military, TRICARE has its own set of requirements and requires fewer prerequisites to approve treatment than commercial insurance. If you have TRICARE and are interested in TMS for depression, please contact us at 719-622-6522 for assistance in receiving approval for treatment.
If you have been suffering from depression and it is having a significant impact on your quality of life, you are likely a good candidate for TMS.
Questions and Answers About TMS for Depression
Is TMS for depression treatment approved by the FDA?
Yes. TMS is FDA-approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxious depression, and late-life depression.
Is TMS covered by insurance?
Yes. TMS therapy is covered by most major insurance companies, including TRICARE, TriWest, and most health insurance companies including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Optum, United Healthcare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Medicare.
What ages can be treated for depression with TMS?
TMS is FDA-approved for ages 15 and older. However, insurance coverage often lags behind FDA clearance. FDA approval for TMS to treat depression in adolescents from 15-17 was granted in March 2024. Not all insurance companies have included ages 15-17 in their coverage yet. However, some companies have. Aetna has indicated they will approve TMS for patients 15 and older. We are monitoring the insurance approval landscape closely and updating our patient information as quickly as we receive notice.
TMS therapy for late-life depression also recently received FDA approval in June 2024. TMS is now approved for treating depression in patients between the ages of 68 and 86. We anticipate that Medicare will soon approve coverage for TMS for treating late-life depression in this age group.
How To Get Started
To receive an evaluation for TMS treatment, simply schedule an appointment at one of our four convenient locations in Colorado Springs and Monument. You can call 719-622-6522 to speak with an intake specialist or enter your contact information in our online form.
