A complete course of TMS treatment usually runs from 4 to 6 weeks, with 3 to 5 sessions each week that take about 20 minutes each. The total duration of your TMS treatment can change as you progress through the course, depending on the specific condition being treated and your individual response.
Our experienced team can help you figure out if TMS treatment is the right choice for your needs. Contact Neuralia TMS today or give us a call at 08 6230 3996 to discuss your specific circumstances and learn more about the specific TMS treatment duration tailored to your needs.
Key Takeaways
- Complete treatment takes 4 to 6 weeks and most patients do 20 to 35 TMS sessions over that time (usually up to 5 per week).
- Neuralia TMS sessions last just 20 minutes, easy to fit into your daily routine without disrupting your work or family commitments.
- Nearly half of patients see and feel improvements within the first few weeks, though completing the full course is recommended for the best outcome.
- Two thirds of patients maintain their improvement for 6 to 12 months after treatment.
How Long Would Your TMS Session Be?
TMS sessions can last between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on the clinical protocol prescribed by your psychiatrist. There may be an extra 3 to 5 minute preparation period for some patients.
Standard repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) sessions last 20 to 40 minutes, while advanced protocols like theta-burst stimulation can be completed in as little as 3 minutes per session. Deep TMS sessions usually take 20 minutes.
At Neuralia TMS, we’ve streamlined our treatment protocol to provide effective TMS therapy for most conditions in just 20 minutes per session, making it easier to fit TMS treatment into your daily routine.
Your First TMS Treatment Session
Your first treatment session will take slightly longer due to motor threshold mapping, which will take an extra 20 to 30 minutes. During this important step, our team precisely calibrates the TMS machine to your particular brain anatomy, making sure the magnetic field strength is optimised for your treatment success.
Once TMS mapping is done, you can generally move straight into your first full TMS session, making your first session around 40 to 50 minutes long.
Weekly recalibrations add just 5 to 10 minutes to ensure your TMS therapy remains effective throughout your course of treatment.
Full TMS Treatment Plan Duration
A standard course of TMS involves 4 to 6 weeks of daily treatments (weekdays), with the total number of sessions ranging from 20 to 35 treatments. The most common protocol involves 5 sessions per week for 6 weeks (totalling 30 TMS sessions) though this can vary quite a bit based on your individual response to treatment and the severity of your symptoms.
Some patients require fewer sessions for noticeable improvement, while extended protocols may go up to 36 to 41 sessions or more for complex cases of treatment-resistant depression.
Treatment Schedule and Flexibility
TMS therapy follows a Monday to Friday schedule, giving you weekends off to maintain work-life balance during your course of TMS treatment. At Neuralia TMS, we understand that life doesn’t stop for treatment. Whether you need to adjust around work commitments or family obligations, get in touch with our team to create a treatment plan that fits your life.
This structured approach to TMS treatment duration ensures you receive consistent magnetic field stimulation while your brain develops new neural pathways. The regular schedule helps maximise the benefits of TMS therapy and supports the neuroplastic changes that make this form of brain stimulation so effective for treating so many different things.
What Affects the Duration of Treatment?
How your brain responds to TMS can vary the effectiveness you experience and the total time needed to reach your therapeutic goals. Our treatment protocols are carefully customised with precise adjustments to deliver optimal outcomes for your unique circumstances.
Reason for Treatment
TMS effectively addresses various mental health conditions, with each requiring tailored approaches:
- Depression treatment, especially for people who haven’t found relief with traditional antidepressant medications
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often benefits from specialised Deep TMS techniques
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) responds well to customised protocols
- Anxiety disorders can be addressed using modified treatment approaches
- Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or movement disorders from multiple sclerosis or stroke
Your specific diagnosis will determine both your session length and overall treatment timeline, which is why your psychiatrist creates a treatment plan that’s uniquely suited to your circumstances.
Severity of Symptoms
TMS therapy works by promoting neuroplasticity, helping your brain rebuild and strengthen neural connections to reduce symptoms. The intensity of your condition when starting treatment influences whether you’ll need additional sessions or if you can achieve results with a shorter course.
Those experiencing more severe treatment-resistant depression often benefit from extended treatment protocols, while others may see excellent results with standard approaches. Some patients may even be able to cut their treatment time short if they see results very soon.
However, the magnetic fields to stimulate neural pathways create gradual changes, giving your brain the time it needs to establish healthier patterns. Even if you begin feeling improvements early on, it’s recommended to complete your entire treatment course unless given permission by your practitioner to finish early.
Individual Patient Response
Your unique brain structure affects how quickly you respond to treatment, and your history with medications plays a role in determining your optimal treatment duration. Roughly half of TMS patients notice improvements in the first few weeks, but that means that half don’t see effects very quickly.
Repetitive TMS (rTMS) session counts adapt to your personal progress, with some people achieving significant improvement after just 20 treatments while others benefit from extended courses. Your response pattern helps our team determine if TMS is working effectively and whether we need to modify your treatment approach.
It’s important to know that some people experience temporary symptom increases during early TMS stages (a phenomenon we call the “TMS dip”) which is a normal part of the healing process. Moving through this adjustment period is essential for successful outcomes, and Neuralia TMS provides comprehensive support during this transition.
Treatment Protocol Variations
Your psychiatrist may feel that a particular protocol would suit your specific needs. These can vary widely in their duration, with some treatments needing only 3 minutes at a time, and others up to 50 minutes in one session.
Duration also varies by protocol. For example, the SAINT protocol concentrates treatment into one week, providing 10 iTBS sessions daily across five consecutive days.
Maintenance Treatment
Following your initial TMS course, ongoing maintenance therapy can help prevent symptoms from returning, especially in people with treatment-resistant depression who responded well to their primary treatment. Maintenance involves systematically reducing your session frequency to help preserve your improvements.
A common maintenance approach includes three weekly sessions for two weeks, then two sessions weekly for another two weeks, followed by weekly sessions for two months, then sessions every two weeks for eight months. Other options involve weekly, biweekly, or monthly scheduling.
Maintenance sessions run 20 to 25 minutes, similar to your initial treatment, and may include motor threshold recalibration to maintain their effectiveness. Some people receive clustered maintenance with 5 sessions across 2 days monthly, while others follow schedules with weekly sessions for 2 weeks, then biweekly for 2 months, then monthly.
Research demonstrates that maintenance more effectively prevents relapse than no follow-up treatment, with 36.2% of patients receiving maintenance averaging 16 additional sessions. Maintenance can work as a standalone approach without extra medications and also proves more effective than antidepressants alone for preventing relapse.
How Long Does It Take to Start Seeing Results from TMS?
You may notice initial benefits from TMS within your first few sessions, though big improvements often develop over several weeks. While early positive changes are encouraging, completing your full recommended treatment plan is the best way to see lasting results, even when you begin feeling better during the early stages.
Your TMS practitioner monitors your progress throughout treatment and may adjust your duration based on how you respond. Some people achieve their goals with fewer sessions, while others benefit from extended treatment protocols. This personalised approach ensures you receive optimal care tailored to your specific needs.
What Happens After TMS Treatment Ends?
Your journey with TMS doesn’t end when your sessions finish. The real transformation often unfolds in the months that follow as you experience lasting freedom from depression symptoms.
The benefits of TMS typically extend 6 to 12 months beyond your final session. Research shows that 62.5% of those who respond to TMS continue experiencing benefits at their one-year follow-up, while 45.1% of people who achieved complete remission remain symptom-free after 12 months.
TMS effects are often more long-lasting than traditional medication approaches because the neuroplastic changes create deeper, structural improvements in brain function.
How Long is TMS Treatment? FAQs
How effective is TMS treatment?
TMS has proven highly effective for treatment-resistant depression, with research showing that approximately 50 to 60% of patients experience notable improvement in their symptoms. About one-third of people who respond to TMS achieve complete remission, meaning their depression symptoms disappear entirely.
The effectiveness of TMS makes it a valuable treatment option for those who haven’t found relief through traditional antidepressants or talk therapy.
Does Medicare cover the full course of TMS treatment?
Since November 2021, Medicare has provided comprehensive coverage for TMS treatment but only for major depressive disorder, and only if certain strict conditions are met. TMS for other conditions is generally not covered.
To qualify for Medicare coverage, you need to be 18 years or older, have treatment-resistant depression that hasn’t responded to at least two different antidepressant trials, and get a referral from your GP or psychiatrist.
Your initial course receives coverage for up to 35 sessions, with an additional 15 maintenance sessions available if you need, giving you a total lifetime Medicare coverage of 50 sessions maximum.
There’s a 4-month waiting period required between treatment courses, and prescription and mapping sessions are separately billable.
At Neuralia TMS, we’re proud to offer $0 out-of-pocket costs for eligible Medicare patients, making this effective treatment option accessible to those who need it most.
What happens if you miss a TMS treatment session?
Missing occasional TMS sessions won’t compromise your treatment’s success. While the standard schedule of 5 sessions per week provides optimal results, research shows that 3 sessions per week is equally effective, although daily sessions may help you achieve faster symptom reduction.
Studies also show that you can have a gap of up to 14 days in treatment sessions without any damaging effects. That means you can easily travel, go on holiday, or take a short break if necessary.
At Neuralia TMS, we understand that life happens, and we work with you to ensure your treatment plan accommodates your circumstances while delivering the results you deserve. Contact us if you’d like to know more about our TMS options!
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