True North IMH offers the most advanced breakthrough in psychiatric medicine - transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression.
TMS Therapy Depression Treatment in Greenville NC
TMS therapy alleviates depression symptoms at the source.
TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) therapy is a groundbreaking mental health treatment for chronic depression, anxiety and other psychiatric and neurological conditions that treats the problem at the source: the brain.
The human brain has four different lobes that control specific functions. For example, the frontal lobe is responsible for personality, decision-making and reasoning, while the temporal lobe affects your memory, speech, and sense of smell.
TMS therapy is hope for remission from depression. A better quality of life can be yours with TMS.
Clinical research has proven that depression is primarily associated with the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain that is responsible for regulating a person’s mood. When you’re depressed, the neural activity in this part of your brain isn’t functioning optimally.

TMS therapy is designed to specifically target and treat this part of the brain. By repeatedly delivering low-impact electromagnetic impulses to this area, the neurons are stimulated in ways that restore function and help create new neural pathways that heal the brain.
These new neural pathways give the brain the ability to overcome the negative effects of major depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD and other life-altering conditions.
Through TMS treatment, the patient begins to feel a lift in their mood as symptoms gradually start to decline over time, leading to an improved quality of life. As many as 70% of patients treated receive greater than a 50% reduction in symptoms. Approximately 60% of patients achieve complete remission. While TMS is not a permanent cure for depression or other psychiatric condition, most patients can expect to feel significant relief for up to 12-months.

What to Expect
During each TMS session, you will be seated in a comfortable chair in our office while a low-impact medical device is placed over your head near the area of the brain responsible for the condition being treated. Magnetic pulses are then sent through the device to stimulate the portion of the brain associated with the illness.
Each session lasts about 20 minutes, making it a procedure that is easy to incorporate into your daily schedule. Since TMS therapy is a non-invasive and a drug free therapy, you are free to drive, return to work and carry on with your day immediately after your treatment session. Treatments are every day, five times a week, for about a six-week period, for at total of 30-36 treatment sessions.
TMS therapy is not a permanent cure for depression or any other diagnosis. However, we refer to it as a 'temporary' cure, lasting up to and well beyond a year for many patients.
TMS is covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare and Tricare for those who meet specific insurance guidelines. Learn more about TMS therapy by scheduling a free TMS consultation.
How Does TMS Therapy Work?
In depressed patients, electrical activity in certain areas of the brain is reduced.
Watch our video about what Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is and how it works to combat depression.
BENEFITS OF TMS THERAPY
TMS therapy offers a wealth of benefits over other treatment modalities.
01
TMS Therapy Involves No Systemic Side Effects
Unlike medications, TMS does not cause any undesired systemic side effects.
02
No Sedation or Shock Delivered via TMS
Unlike ECT, TMS does not require anesthesia or sedation and does not induce a seizure.
03
TMS Therapy is Often Covered by Insurance
TMS is generally covered by insurance for adult patients who have tried antidepressant medications and therapy but still continue to suffer from depressive symptoms.
04
An Outpatient Treatment Requiring No Downtime
TMS therapy is an outpatient treatment done in the physicians office. Patients remain awake during the 19 minute treatment and there is no downtime following treatment.
TMS Therapy Patient Testimonial
TMS therapy gave hope and brought healing to Vickie and Desiree - Magstim Patients
PATIENTS FORMS
For your convenience we have provided most of our New Patient and TMS Therapy forms below.
01
Adult TMS Registration
Our TMS Registration Form pdf is based on the same information that will be required on your insurance’s prior authorization form. While we understand no one enjoys filling out these types of forms, we ask that you please be as thorough as possible.
02
TMS Exclusion Criteria
Please complete the below pdf form prior to the start of your TMS treatment. If you have selected any of the boxes under the Contraindicated Section, then TMS therapy is contraindicated, and therefore, would not be a viable treatment option for you.
03
Medication Checklist
The following pdf contains a list of common medications that are used to treat depression. If you have brought a medication list or had your records sent from your physician’s office, please fill out this form and bring those documents to your consultation.
04
PHQ9 and GAD7
You can use the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 to screen for depression, as well as measure the level of symptom severity in people with depression. Both the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 can be used for other anxiety disorders such as phobias and generalized anxiety disorder.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does TMS treatment work?
The electromagnetic coil, controlled by a computer program, delivers short bursts of magnetic energy. The pulses are focused directly on the left side of the brain’s frontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that is involved with mood regulation. The electrical currents produced from the coil activate cells within the brain that are thought to release neurotransmitters, thus aiding to prevent the effects of depression.
How does TMS compare with other treatments?
TMS is non-invasive, does not involve surgery, does not involve insertion of any kind, and does not require sedation or anesthesia. It is a non-medicated approach to treat anxiety and depression. With little to no side effects, TMS allows for one to carry on with their day after their 30-minute appointment.
Who is TMS treatment best suited for?
Those who are over the age of 18 and who have major depressive disorder are eligible to receive TMS therapy. Those who have major depressive disorder and have been taking antidepressants with no significant improvements are suited for TMS. Also, if you are experiencing side effects associated with medications for major depressive disorder, TMS could be for you.
Is TMS therapy covered by my insurance?
TMS Treatment is covered by most commercial insurances. We accept BCBS, Medcost, Aetna, United Healthcare and Cigna. We are able to work out agreements with other insurances if yours is not listed here. Please feel free to call to ask any questions or see if we accept your insurance. We are always willing to work with our patients!
What conditions can be treated by TMS?
TMS is an FDA approved treatment for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Like other treatments, TMS has many other uses that have not been approved by the FDA to date. Most are in the process of getting FDA approved . These uses include:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Stroke rehabilitation.
- Schizophrenia.
- Parkinson's disease.
- Alzheimer's disease.
- Insomnia.
- Chronic pain.
- Nicotine addiction.
- Autism
How long does it take to see results from treatment?
A lot of people experience some benefit within the first two weeks. If you aren’t experiencing results right away, do not worry; that is perfectly normal. TMS a six-week treatment and some people do not experience results until weeks 4-6.
How do I know that it's working?
Over the course of the treatment sessions, most patients will feel a lift in their mood as symptoms begin to decline and in some cases disappear completely. Nearly 75% of TMS patients report that their quality of life is greatly improved as a result of the treatment with a reduction in symptoms of over 50%.
How does TMS affect my mood?
By targeting the areas of the brain responsible for regulating emotion, TMS has a significant impact on a person's overall mood, with 1 in 3 patients reporting a significant beneficial difference.
What are the side-effects of TMS?
Unlike medications, TMS does not cause long-term systemic side effects, making it a low-impact and extremely safe medical procedure. Minor headaches are the most common temporary side effect reported. For those who experienced headaches, they are brief, mild, easily treated with over-the-counter pain relievers and subside as the treatments continue.
SMEG PHONE: 252-364-8972
TRUENORTH IMH: 252-232-4290
FAX: 252-364-8971
102 Oakmont Dr., Suite 20, Greenville, NC 27858
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