TMS Centers of America has recently opened new treatment facilities in New Jersey located in Englewood, Paramus and Hackensack. These centers are dedicated to treating patients with major depressive disorder using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy, a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression.
Ben Klein, founder of TMS Treatment Centers, is excited to offer this treatment to patients in the Bergen County area. A lifetime entrepreneur with a wide-ranging healthcare business-development background that includes pharmaceuticals, clinics and treatment centers, Klein, along with his wife, Batya, are diligently working to inform physicians and patients about the success achieved through TMS therapy.
“I was astounded by the lack of awareness in the medical community about the availability and effectiveness of TMS treatment. I also have a personal connection with a close family member who suffers from depression currently undergoing TMS treatment. This has led me to further explore how to best provide access to this life-changing treatment method to patients across the country,” articulated Klein.
TMS therapy is safe, effective and free from the side effects associated with depression medications. FDA-approved since 2008, TMS therapy has been used to treat over 25,000 patients suffering from depression. Patients who undergo treatment achieve considerable results, many of whom experience full remission from their condition.
The therapy consists of 36 treatments during which a psychiatrist will map out key areas of the brain that are underactive and require stimulation. Treatment is administered five days a week for approximately six to eight weeks. Each session takes about a half hour and patients are awake, alert and comfortable throughout. Furthermore, patients are able to resume normal activities immediately following TMS therapy. Unlike other types of medications prescribed to treat depression that come with harmful or debilitating side effects, TMS allows patients to continue a normal daily routine. “TMS is a miracle and it’s hard to believe that just six weeks ago I was a completely different person. I’m able to concentrate more, have a lot more energy and willingness to do a lot more throughout the day,” explained LC, a patient currently undergoing treatment.
While TMS has been FDA-approved for a decade, many patients and physicians alike are unaware of its overwhelming success. Drug companies are extremely powerful and control a very large part of the healthcare industry. Therefore, more often, patients who suffer from major depression are offered a prescription and sent on their way. Sadly, these prescriptions don’t always work and are typically accompanied by significant side effects. “Of the 16.1 million U.S. adults who suffer from major depressive disorder, 4 million of them are poorly served, either from inadequate response to medication or intolerance to side effects,” explained Klein.
Our society is conditioned to believe in drug therapy as the primary course of treatment for symptoms of depression. Many insurance carriers will only cover the cost of TMS therapy after two different medicinal drugs are tried and failed. Klein believes TMS therapy should be considered as a primary method of treatment in concurrence with talk therapy. The results are so overwhelmingly successful that many people are willing to pay out of pocket. That in and of itself speaks to the efficacy of this treatment. TMS therapy offers patients a chance to preserve their quality of life while improving symptoms of depression. RR, a patient who experienced tremendous change, wants others to benefit as well. “If I could go back and talk to my depressed self, I think all I’d really say is don’t wait. Don’t waste those months. Just do it. Make that change.”
By Andrea Nissel
Ben and Batya Klein are committed to raising awareness of TMS therapy. As more data is compiled, they are hopeful that insurance carriers will recognize the value of this treatment making it more accessible to those who need it. Currently, there are nine centers across the country including two in Manhattan. For more information, please call 800-688-3609 or email [email protected]. Additional details can be found online at www.tmscoa.com.
