Our Daily Show Interview! Getting to Know Precision TMS: FDA Approved Non-Invasive Treatment!
SAINT LOUIS – A new treatment for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder is bringing hope to local patients.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a relatively new treatment offered by Precision TMS. Located in Creve Coeur, Mo., Precision TMS provides TMS and intranasal ketamine treatments to manage depression. Founder Tom Malone and client Jake Lloyd shared the benefits of TMS and how it can help local community members.
“It’s like ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ when she walks through the door and everything goes from black and white to color. It’s like I’m living again,” Lloyd said. “There is a whole life waiting for you out there.”
Malone explained that TMS uses magnetic fields to depolarize neurons and release neurotransmitters. Magnets are placed to target the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex in the brain, which is underactive in depressed patients.
Sessions last around 20 minutes. Patients experience a “flicking” or “tapping” sensation on their heads.
“I often use the analogy of a computer,” Malone said. “You have this circuit board, and if you have a broken circuit, you can’t really upgrade the software. What we can do with TMS, we can kind of fix that broken circuit, and once that’s fixed, we can kind of upgrade your operating system through therapy or other ways to help you with your depression or OCD.”
TMS has been FDA-approved to treat depression and OCD. The side effects usually include a mild headache or skin irritation where the coil is placed on the head.
Malone emphasized that TMS is very different from electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which requires anesthesia and might lead to memory loss. TMS is less invasive.
“I think a lot of times when people hear about this, they think about Jack Nicholson from ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,’” Malone said. “It’s not like that at all. That is direct electricity. What we’re doing is a magnetic field, and then we’re able to target specific areas of the brain. We’re able to hit the part of the brain that’s underactive in depression. It’s called the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex. It’s about the size of a quarter. When it hits, the electrical current spreads, and it’s part of a larger circuit. So it’s kind of like a keyhole that we access. It’s much more gentle. It’s much more targeted.”
Clients who have tried two or more antidepressants without sufficient results are eligible for TMS. Certain medical conditions or metal implants in your body might preclude you from receiving TMS. It’s also shown to be not as effective for patients with borderline personality disorder, who benefit from dialectical behavior therapy instead.
Malone explained that TMS is not for patients who are in an acute crisis, but those who are experiencing suicidal ideation are usually good candidates. Most of the people he encounters are “at the end of their rope” and have tried multiple medications to little effect.
TMS patients usually undergo 36 initial sessions and might do maintenance sessions as needed. Most people experience results in two weeks.
Lloyd still remembers when he started to feel better. After years of living with depression following a career as a combat medic with the Marine Corps, Lloyd had lost more Marines to suicide than he did while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. He was struggling with depression when he started TMS. Soon, little things like music and the sunset began to bring him joy again.
“I was at that point. I really didn’t care whether I stayed alive. It’s hard to say this right now, but my gosh, I didn’t care. Now it’s like, man, I want to live,” he shared. “It’s just a little snowball of good that’s rolling down the hill and gaining momentum in my life now.”
Precision TMS offers special care for veterans like Lloyd and other frontline workers, including healthcare professionals and teachers, through their HEROES Program. They accept most major insurances, though it’s not uncommon for them to offer services pro bono. Ultimately, Malone wants to use TMS to help people.
“I have a tool that I know works really well, and I’m going to withhold that from somebody because they don’t have the money? No. Their blood would be on my hands. If they hurt themselves, that would be on me, I feel like,” Malone added. “We’ll take care of them.”
For more information, visit the official Precision TMS website at PrecisionTMS.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
