When Other Treatments Have Failed, There Is Hope
New Directions Mental Health is a proud NeuroStar partner, offering transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a treatment path for our clients. NeuroStar TMS is FDA-cleared for depression, depression paired with anxiety, and OCD, and coverage is available through most major insurers, including Medicare and Tricare.
TMS utilizes focused magnetic pulses, similar in intensity to an MRI, working to stimulate underactive brain regions responsible for regulating mood. It can bring unique healing when other traditional treatments haven’t been successful.
NeuroStar TMS Might Be Right for You
NeuroStar TMS has helped thousands of people with depression get relief from their depression symptoms.
8.2
million NeuroStar Advanced TMS treatments have been performed in over 223,000 patients
83%
of patients experience an improvement in the severity of their depression
62%
of patients show complete remission
Neurostar TMS can offer hope to those who have struggled to find relief from their depression symptoms.
Are you struggling with major depressive disorder (MDD) despite trying multiple antidepressants? NeuroStar TMS could be the next step worth considering. Insurance coverage for NeuroStar TMS now reaches over 300 million people across the country.
How NeuroStar TMS Therapy Works
Treatment takes place in one of our New Directions Mental Health clinics in the greater Pittsburgh area. It starts with a consultation to confirm whether TMS is right for you. From there, most treatment plans involve 36 sessions, each running 19 to 37 minutes, and it’s important to stick with the full treatment plan to see lasting results.
- Getting ready: You’ll settle into a comfortable, reclined chair as a curved magnetic coil is positioned above your head.
- While it’s happening: Expect a clicking sound and a gentle tapping feeling as the coil targets the brain areas connected to depression. NeuroStar’s Contact Sensing technology ensures that your exact prescribed dose is delivered precisely with every pulse.
- After treatment: You’ll be fully alert the entire time, so driving home and returning to your normal day is no problem, and memory and sleep are unaffected.
Our team at New Directions Mental Health stands with you throughout this process, supporting your journey toward a life not held back by depression.
Find out if NeuroStar TMS is right for you.
Supporting Adolescents Through TMS Treatment
For adolescents between 15 and 21 dealing with hard-to-treat depression, NeuroStar TMS is available as an add-on therapy option. We recognize how hard depression can be for young people, and our team is committed to supporting your entire family through the process.
NeuroStar delivers a non-invasive approach that targets the specific brain regions involved in mood regulation, offering symptom relief without the side effect profile often associated with antidepressant medications.
Our clinicians at New Directions Mental Health are trained specifically in delivering this treatment, creating a supportive environment for adolescents and their families throughout treatment.
Explore How NeuroStar TMS Could Work for You
At New Directions Mental Health, we’re dedicated to helping you find the depression treatment that works. Beyond therapy and psychiatric medication management, we offer alternative options like NeuroStar TMS and Spravato®. Our collaborative, multidisciplinary team builds treatment plans shaped specifically around your needs.
If you’re ready to take your next step toward better mental health, NeuroStar TMS could be the key in your depression treatment journey. Call 724.374.7414 or fill out our TMS form to get started.
Find out if NeuroStar TMS is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About TMS
What is TMS?
TMS applies focused magnetic pulses, at a strength comparable to an MRI, to activate brain regions that have gone underactive in regulating mood. Jumpstarting activity in these areas can create lasting improvement, helping many people reach long-term remission from depression.
Is TMS actually effective?
Real-world data shows an 83% response rate, meaning 83% of patients who completed the full NeuroStar TMS treatment course experienced measurable improvement in their symptoms. That same data showed a 62% remission rate, meaning that 62% of patients who finished treatment would likely no longer meet the criteria for an MDD diagnosis if reassessed.
Is TMS safe?
TMS is FDA-cleared and considered safe for treating depression, depression with anxiety, and OCD. More than 8.2 million NeuroStar Advanced TMS treatments have been performed across over 223,000 patients, with under 5% reporting side effects. A headache right after treatment is the most commonly reported side effect, and it typically resolves within the first week for most people as they get used to the treatment.
Does TMS hurt?
Some clients notice mild to moderate discomfort near the treatment area on their heads. This usually eases within the first week for most patients.
Is TMS covered by my insurance?
Yes, most major insurance plans cover NeuroStar TMS for people with difficult-to-treat depression, including Medicare.
Who is eligible to receive NeuroStar TMS?
Adults aged 22–70 qualify for TMS, and adolescents 15–21 may be eligible as an add-on treatment alongside therapy and possible other medication.
What conditions can TMS treat?
NeuroStar TMS has FDA clearance for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults 22–70, as an add-on option for adolescents 15–21, and for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults 22–70.
Indication Statement
The NeuroStar Advanced Therapy System is indicated for the treatment of depressive episodes and for decreasing anxiety symptoms for those who may exhibit comorbid anxiety symptoms in adult patients suffering from major depressive disorder and who failed to achieve satisfactory improvement from previous antidepressant medication treatment in the current episode.
The NeuroStar Advanced Therapy system is intended to be used as an adjunct for the treatment of adult patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder.
NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is only available by prescription. A doctor can help decide if NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is right for you. Patients’ results may vary.
The most common side effect is pain or discomfort at or near the treatment site. These events are transient; they occur during the TMS treatment course and do not occur for most patients after the first week of treatment. There is a rare risk of seizure associated with the use of TMS therapy (<0.1% per patient).
Visit NeuroStar.com for full safety and prescribing information.
Clinical and Academic References
- Carpenter LL, et al. (2012). Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Major Depression: A Multisite, Naturalistic, Observational Study of Acute Treatment Outcomes in Clinical Practice. Depression and Anxiety, 29(7):587-596. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22689344
- George MS, et al. (2010). Daily Left Prefrontal Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder: A Sham-Controlled Randomized Trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 67(5):507-516. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20439832
- Dunner DL, et al. (2014). A Multisite, Naturalistic, Observational Study of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Patients with Pharmacoresistant Major Depressive Disorder: Durability of Benefit Over a 1-Year Follow-Up Period. J Clin Psychiatry, 75(12):1394-1401. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25271871
- O’Reardon JP, et al. (2007). Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Acute Treatment of Major Depression: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial. Biol Psychiatry, 62(11):1208-1216. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17573044