Are you someone who has struggled for years with depression, trying medications, therapy and other modalities only to find yourself crippled and disabled by a deep dark depression that simply won't respond?? Well, you are not alone and millions of patients like yourself may now have a new therapeutic option to turn to.  It's called the NeuroStar TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Therapy System, developed by Neuronetics, Inc., and it is the first and only approved TMS device by the FDA specifically for the treatment of severe depression.  This therapeutic device is really a "last chance" option when traditional medications and therapies have failed to provide any long-lasting relief from serious depression.

The Medical University of South Carolina is the only medical institution in that geographic area of the US to offer this therapy.  It will be rolled out before the end of the year, after more than 10,000 treatments with the NeurioStar TMS were given to patients.  The treatment is performed in a psychiatrist's office and does not involve any surgery.  The application of the treatment takes about 40 minutes per session and it delivers highly focused MRI-strength magnetic pulses to nerve cells in an area of the brain associated with depression.  Patients are given a daily dose of this therapy for approximately 4-6 weeks at a cost of $200-$300/session.

During the clinical trials:

• No systemic side effects like sedation, nauseau or dry mouth occurred
• No concentration or memory dysfunction occurred
• No seizures were noted in any patients
• No drug interactions occurred
• In the 6 months post treatment, no new co
• No complaints that migt have been associated with the therapy occure

Contraindications to the therapy include anyone with an implantable device in the head region that is non-removable.