No, TMS is painless. You might feel a tapping sensation on your scalp during the treatment, but it's not painful. We’ll make sure that you’re comfortable and relaxed during your TMS sessions. Many of our patients watch Netflix, listen to music, sit quietly, or chat with our TMS nurse during their sessions.

What happens during a TMS session for Tinnitus?

You'll sit comfortably in a chair while the TMS coil is positioned near your head. The coil will emit magnetic pulses, and the session typically lasts for 5–20 minutes. You can resume your normal activities after the session.

Is TMS covered by insurance?

TMS treatments have been approved and are covered by Medicare. Your qualified healthcare professional will have more information on financing and health insurance options.

Are there any side effects of TMS for tinnitus?

TMS is generally safe and well-tolerated. Some people might experience mild side effects like headaches, scalp tingling, or dizziness, but these usually go away quickly. It's important to discuss any potential side effects with your TMS psychiatrist or GP before starting TMS.

What is Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS)?

Name: TMS Treatment for Tinnitus
Brand: Neuralia TMS
SKU: for-tinnitus
Rating: 5 (20 reviews)

One of the most significant benefits of transcranial direct current stimulation services offered by Neuralia TMS is the at-home and telehealth medical options. If you cannot make it to one of our many clinics in Australia, you can use a transcranial direct current stimulation device all on your own. Let’s unpack what tDCS is, how it works, and what conditions it can help relieve.

Key Takeaways:

tDCS is a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation technique that uses low-intensity electric currents to modulate neuronal activity, improve neuroplasticity, and treat conditions like depression and chronic pain, as well as assist with stroke recovery and cognitive deficits.
The effectiveness of tDCS depends on parameters like current intensity, session duration, electrode placement, and frequency.
Home-based and clinical applications make tDCS accessible for treating conditions and improving quality of life.
Ongoing research is advancing the potential uses and side effects of tDCS.

What is tDCS?

tDCS is an electrical stimulation that modulates your ongoing brain activity, which makes your neurons more or less likely to fire. This effect can continue after you finish a tDCS session and can lead to increased neuroplasticity. Transcranial direct current stimulation has a long history, beginning in the early 1800s with Giovanni Aldini.

Since the 19th century, transcranial magnetic stimulation and direct current simulation have become increasingly popular fields of study. Between 2000 and 2021, scientific publications around tDCS grew by 31.69% each year, and it’s not likely to slow down any time soon.

How Does tDCS Work?

Transcranial direct current stimulation creates a current flow between two electrodes placed on your scalp. One of the electrodes is an anode (positive), and the other is a cathode (negative). These electrodes create a non-invasive brain stimulation that modulates the neuronal activity in your brain in one of two ways:

Differences	Anodal Stimulation	Cathodal Stimulation
Cortical Excitability	Increases	Decreases
Polarising	Depolarisation	Hyperpolarisation
Effects	Increases in the firing of neurons enhance targeted cognitive function	Decreases firing of neurons, reduces likelihood of action potentials occurring
Ideal for	Depression, stroke rehabilitation, cognitive improvement	Migraines, attention, working memory

Both anodal stimulation and cathodal electrodes are used for transcranial brain stimulation to deliver electric current through your brain.

What is Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Used for?

tDCS, or transcranial direct current stimulation, is used to help relieve the symptoms of conditions like depression, chronic pain, and migraines, as well as rehabilitate and improve cognitive function. Research is continually finding new conditions to treat with anodal and cathodal stimulation, but let’s have a look at the current applications for tDCS.

Depression

tDCS has emerged as a promising treatment option for depression, with growing evidence supporting its efficacy and safety. Home-based studies published in Depression and Anxiety show that active tDCS was superior to sham stimulation for response rates and remission rates for the treatment of depression. The large difference between active and sham transcranial direct current stimulation (almost 50%) shows the potential for tDCS in relieving the oppressive symptoms of depression.

Chronic Pain and Headaches

Chronic pain and headaches are difficult adverse conditions to live with, but using an electric brain stimulation device to create transcranial direct current stimulation can offer relief. tDCS has shown potential to treat both chronic pain and migraines, with a 2021 review published in the Journal of Pain Research finding that the stimulation technique in tDCS offers a “significant reduction of migraine pain intensity” for several brain regions.

As a result, modern clinics like ours at Neuralia TMS have services that can help relieve pain, reduce the number of migraines per month, and provide comfort even after treatment sessions. Groups have even found that the benefits of tDCS could last as long as 12 weeks after the intervention, improving pain and quality of life, according to a 2019 study published in The Journal of ECT.

Stroke Rehabilitation

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a promising secondary therapy for stroke rehabilitation, particularly for improving motor function. Specifically, stroke patients may benefit from enhanced motor skill learning, improved balance and gait, and better scores on the “Timed Up and Go Test” (TUGT) test. However, transcranial direct current stimulation is still being studied, and the specific parameters of anodal tDCS and cathodal tDCS still need further research to prove consistent results in patients.

Cognitive Enhancement

tDCS is also effective for improving cognitive enhancement, particularly for patients who have Alzheimer’s Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Parkinson’s Disease. By stimulating the brain’s neuroplasticity using an electrical current, tDCS may provide long-term potentiation (LTP)-like mechanism that offers modest improvements. Effects will vary based on the types of stimulation used as well as the individual’s age, cognitive ability, and stimulation parameters.

What are tDCS Protocols and Techniques?

The main tDCS protocols and techniques rely on four factors: current intensity, stimulation period, electrode placement, and session frequency. Let’s explore each of these and help you understand how the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation can change:

Current Intensity: Typically ranges from 1 to 2 mA, though some studies explore up to 3 mA for specific applications
Stimulation Duration: Sessions usually last between 15 and 30 minutes, with longer durations (up to 30 minutes) often yielding stronger and longer-lasting effects
Electrode Placement: Electrodes (25 to 35 cm² in size) are placed on the scalp over specific brain regions, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for depression or the primary motor cortex for motor rehabilitation
Session Frequency: Protocols typically involve multiple sessions per week (e.g., five sessions per week), with treatment courses lasting 2 to 10 weeks, depending on the condition.

Neuralia TMS: TMS Therapy You Can Trust

Whether you are looking for an at-home tDCS device or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), the team at Neuralia TMS is here to help. We understand that severe conditions like OCD, PTSD, and chronic pain are not just in your head — although they may seem invisible to anyone but yourself.

Let us help you reduce and relieve the strenuous symptoms of your condition through our non-invasive and friendly TMS service. Contact us today or book a session online to learn how TMS can help change your life.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) FAQs

Is tDCS still used today?

Yes, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is still used in research settings and as a potential treatment for various conditions. As of 2025, tDCS continues to be investigated for its efficacy in treating depression and chronic pain, as well as its value in assisting with stroke rehabilitation and cognitive enhancement. Notably, there are ongoing tDCS clinical trials and home-based treatment protocols in development.
What can tDCS treat?

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown potential in treating a range of conditions, including depression and chronic pain. Research also indicates promising results for tDCS in addressing symptoms of PTSD, schizophrenia, addiction, and motor disorders related to Parkinson’s disease. However, more studies are needed to fully establish its efficacy for some of these applications.
What are the side effects of tDCS?

The side effects of tDCS can include tingling, itching, and headaches, but they are generally mild and go away quickly. In a safety systematic review, no serious adverse side effects were reported out of 33,200 sessions, which shows that transcranial direct current stimulation does not have serious side effects.