With the exception of preventive care visits like annual physicals, when you see a doctor, you’re usually looking for treatment. You might be seeking out an antibiotic for an infection or a physical therapy referral for an injury. You could be hoping to get help with mental health symptoms you’ve been experiencing, like uncontrollable thoughts or a loss of interest in things you used to enjoy.
Whatever the case may be, the healthcare professional you see should make a plan to address your health concern. Sometimes, that means recommending lifestyle changes. Other times, they write you a prescription. In certain cases, they might refer you to a specialist.
If you’re living with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or a smoking habit, that specialist might offer transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS.
When healthcare providers may recommend TMS
TMS works by stimulating certain parts of your brain. By directing magnetic pulses into your head, a TMS specialist can help to offset unwelcome symptoms. The way TMS transforms your brain activity makes it particularly helpful for:
For mental health conditions like depression and OCD, physicians (including psychiatrists) and therapists typically recommend TMS when first-line treatments haven’t worked. If your depressive symptoms aren’t improving with antidepressants, for example, it could be a good fit. Recent research says that roughly 60% of people who didn’t see improvement with other depression treatments were helped by TMS.
If you have a condition that can be addressed by TMS, your healthcare provider might recommend it because it’s a drug-free option.
How referral pathways for TMS work
A lot of the patients we see for TMS come as referrals. Maybe your primary care provider suggests it because you’re struggling to quit smoking. Or maybe your psychiatrist wants to use it in tandem with your OCD or depression medication to help you get better results. Maybe you’ve been talking with your therapist about starting medication but you’re concerned about the side effects that come with a drug-based approach.
No matter the specific situation, we always work closely with the referring healthcare provider. A lot of referrals come to us because other treatments haven’t worked. Knowing what you’ve already tried helps our specialists tailor the TMS to you. We collaborate with your primary care physician, therapist, and/or psychiatrist to develop a care plan for you.
Ultimately, your healthcare providers are supposed to come alongside you and support you. That’s true whether they’re helping you with your physical health, your mental health, or both. And if they see that TMS would help you move toward a mental or physical health goal, they may suggest making it part of your treatment plan.
All of this said, you don’t need a referral to explore TMS for yourself. To see if this kind of treatment could be right for you, get in touch with our team at Neurology, Psychiatry and Balance Therapy Center. If you’re a candidate for TMS, we can talk with your physician or therapist to make it an integrated part of your overall care plan.
