For those who have tried different medications and therapies without finding relief, treatment-resistant depression can feel like an endless cycle. TMS therapy offers a different kind of hope by using non-invasive magnetic pulses to stimulate key areas of the brain. While the traditional six-week timeline is a proven path, an even faster option now exists. Understanding what is accelerated tms is the first step toward exploring this powerful alternative. It is an intensive, focused treatment that delivers a full course of therapy in just a few days. This approach is designed for those who need to see change more quickly, offering a concentrated path to wellness that can make a significant difference when you feel you’ve waited long enough for relief.
Key Takeaways
- It’s a Faster Timeline for the Same Therapy: Accelerated TMS delivers the same effective, non-invasive brain stimulation as traditional TMS, but completes the entire treatment course in about a week instead of over a month.
- It Offers New Hope for Lasting Relief: This FDA-approved approach is particularly effective for treatment-resistant depression, with research showing that a high percentage of people experience significant improvement or even remission of their symptoms.
- A Consultation is Your Best First Step: Since accelerated TMS isn’t right for everyone and is often an out-of-pocket expense, a one-on-one consultation is essential to review your health history, get clear answers on cost, and create a personalized plan.
What is Accelerated TMS?
If you’ve been exploring treatments for depression, you may have come across Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS. It’s a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to gently stimulate nerve cells in the brain. Now, there’s a newer, faster approach called Accelerated TMS. Think of it as the same effective therapy, but on a much shorter timeline. Instead of spreading treatments out over several weeks, an accelerated plan condenses them into just a few days.
This intensive approach is designed for those who want to see results more quickly, without the long-term commitment of a traditional treatment schedule. It offers a powerful alternative, especially when other treatments haven’t provided the relief you need. By delivering multiple sessions per day, Accelerated TMS aims to help you feel better, faster, so you can get back to your life. It’s an exciting development in mental health care that offers new hope and a more convenient path to recovery.
Traditional vs. Accelerated TMS: What’s the Difference?
The main difference between traditional and Accelerated TMS is the schedule. A traditional TMS course typically involves one session per day, lasting about 40 minutes, for six weeks. Accelerated TMS, on the other hand, delivers multiple shorter sessions—each lasting just a few minutes—in a single day. This allows you to complete a full course of treatment in as little as one week.
While the timeline is different, the core technology is the same. Both methods use magnetic pulses to stimulate a specific part of the brain involved in mood regulation, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The accelerated version simply provides this stimulation in a more concentrated timeframe.
How TMS Therapy Works
It might sound complex, but the process behind TMS therapy is straightforward and non-invasive. During a session, a small coil is placed gently on your head. This coil delivers targeted magnetic pulses to specific areas of the brain that are underactive in people with depression. These pulses are similar in strength to those used in an MRI machine.
The magnetic energy stimulates nerve cells, which can increase the brain’s production of key neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Essentially, it helps reactivate the parts of your brain responsible for mood, helping to restore healthy function. You are awake and comfortable the entire time, and you can go right back to your daily activities after each session.
Is Accelerated TMS FDA-Approved?
Yes, it is. The technology behind Accelerated TMS, known as intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS), was FDA-approved in 2018 for treating major depressive disorder. This approval was a major step forward, as it validated a much faster way to deliver TMS.
More recently, a specific accelerated protocol called SAINT™ received FDA clearance in 2022, further cementing its place as a credible and effective treatment option. These approvals mean that the treatment has been thoroughly reviewed for both safety and effectiveness, offering peace of mind to those considering it as a path toward relief from depression.
How Does an Accelerated Treatment Plan Work?
So, how does an accelerated TMS plan actually work? It’s more than just speeding up the traditional timeline. This approach uses a specific, intensive schedule of highly targeted sessions to achieve results faster. It’s a structured process designed to give your brain the consistent stimulation it needs to start building healthier neural pathways. Let’s break down the key components that make this treatment so effective.
Stimulating Key Areas of the Brain
At the heart of TMS therapy is the stimulation of a specific part of your brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, or DLPFC for short. Think of this area as a key player in managing your mood. In people with depression, this region often shows lower levels of activity. Accelerated TMS uses gentle, non-invasive magnetic pulses to wake up the nerve cells in the DLPFC, encouraging them to become more active. This process helps restore healthier communication patterns in the brain, which can lead to a significant improvement in your symptoms. It’s a way to directly address the biological side of depression and help your brain achieve long-term success.
Precision Targeting for Better Results
One of the most important parts of a successful treatment is making sure we’re stimulating the exact right spot. We don’t guess. By using advanced imaging techniques like functional MRI (fMRI), we can create a detailed map of your brain and pinpoint the precise area within your DLPFC that will respond best to treatment. This level of precision targeting is a game-changer. It ensures that every pulse is delivered exactly where it needs to go for maximum impact. This personalized approach is a core part of our philosophy and is crucial for achieving the best possible results for you. It’s a key reason why the latest TMS research shows such promising outcomes.
The Technology We Use
The “accelerated” part of the treatment is made possible by advanced technology. We use a special pulse pattern called Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation (iTBS). This method allows us to deliver the therapeutic pulses in a much shorter amount of time—think sessions lasting just a few minutes. Because the sessions are so brief, you can have several of them throughout the day. This intensive schedule is what allows a full course of treatment to be completed in a fraction of the time of traditional TMS. This technology is both safe and effective, and it’s a key reason why FDA-approved accelerated TMS is becoming such a powerful option for so many people seeking relief.
Why Choose an Accelerated Pace?
When you’re struggling with symptoms of depression, anxiety, or OCD, the idea of waiting weeks or months for relief can feel overwhelming. An accelerated TMS plan offers a different path—one that condenses the treatment timeline without compromising the therapy’s effectiveness. This approach is designed for those who need to feel better, faster. It allows you to complete a full course of treatment in a fraction of the time, minimizing disruption to your work, school, or family life and helping you get back to feeling like yourself sooner.
Choosing an accelerated pace means dedicating a shorter, more intensive period to your mental health. For many, this focused approach provides a powerful sense of momentum and hope. Instead of spreading treatment out over a month and a half, you can immerse yourself in the process and potentially see significant changes in just a matter of days. This condensed schedule also makes treatment accessible for people who live outside the immediate area or who can only take a short break from their responsibilities. It’s a modern, efficient way to access the long-term success that TMS therapy can offer, fitting powerful healing into a manageable timeframe.
A Faster Path to Feeling Better
The most significant advantage of accelerated TMS is speed. A traditional TMS schedule typically involves one session per day, five days a week, for about six weeks. While effective, that’s a long commitment. Accelerated TMS compresses this entire treatment course into as little as one week. Instead of 40-minute daily sessions, you’ll have multiple shorter sessions (often just a few minutes each) throughout the day. This intensive schedule is designed to achieve similar, and sometimes even better, results in a dramatically shorter timeframe. For anyone whose symptoms are severely impacting their daily life, this faster path can be a game-changer.
How Multiple Daily Sessions Work
So, how does it work? An accelerated treatment plan still includes the standard number of sessions—usually around 30 in total. The key difference is the scheduling. Instead of one session per day, you might have up to five sessions spread throughout a single day, with breaks in between. This structure allows you to complete a full treatment course in just over a week. By delivering the magnetic pulses in a more concentrated timeframe, we can stimulate the brain’s neural pathways more intensively. This approach is based on the principle of neuroplasticity, encouraging the brain to form new, healthier connections more rapidly.
What the Success Rates Show
The results for accelerated TMS are incredibly promising. While standard TMS helps about half of the people who try it, some accelerated protocols have shown even higher success rates. For example, studies on certain accelerated treatments have found that around 86% of participants with treatment-resistant depression experienced a significant reduction in their symptoms. Even more impressively, about 79% of those individuals achieved remission, meaning their symptoms were virtually gone. This high level of effectiveness, backed by growing TMS research, makes it a powerful option for those who haven’t found relief with other treatments.
Understanding the Cost
It’s important to have a clear conversation about the investment required for accelerated TMS. While traditional, once-a-day TMS is often covered by insurance for major depression, most insurance plans do not yet cover accelerated protocols. This means the treatment is typically an out-of-pocket expense. The cost can range significantly depending on the specific protocol and clinic. We believe in full transparency and are here to walk you through all the details. We encourage you to contact our team to discuss your specific circumstances and learn more about pricing and potential financing options.
What to Expect During Your Treatment
Starting a new treatment can feel like stepping into the unknown, but knowing what the process looks like can make all the difference. From your first meeting with our team to your daily sessions and beyond, we’ve designed our Accelerated TMS program to be as clear and comfortable as possible. The goal is to create a supportive environment where you can focus completely on your well-being. We’ll walk you through every step, ensuring you feel informed and confident in your care plan. Here’s a closer look at what your treatment journey will involve.
Your First Consultation
Your journey begins with a thorough consultation. This first meeting is all about determining if Accelerated TMS is the right path for you. You’ll meet with our team of specialists who will review your medical history, discuss your symptoms, and answer any questions you have. Think of it as a collaborative conversation, not an examination. We want to understand your unique situation and your goals for treatment. This initial step ensures that we create a personalized and effective plan that truly fits your needs, setting a strong foundation for your recovery.
A Look at Your Daily Schedule
The “accelerated” in Accelerated TMS means you’ll have multiple treatment sessions in a single day. This intensive structure is what allows the full course of therapy to be completed much faster than traditional TMS. A typical treatment day might start around 8:00 AM and finish by 6:00 PM, with several short sessions scheduled throughout the day. There are built-in breaks between each session, giving you time to relax, read, or listen to music. This condensed schedule is a key part of our approach to care, designed to help you find relief sooner.
During Your TMS Session
During the actual TMS session, you’ll be comfortably seated in a chair while a small magnetic coil is placed gently against your head. You will be awake and alert the entire time. When the treatment begins, you’ll hear a series of clicking sounds and feel a light tapping sensation on your scalp. Each individual treatment is brief, often lasting just a few minutes. We prioritize your comfort, and our technicians will be with you to make any adjustments needed. Our goal is to provide your therapy in a comfortable and welcoming environment where you can feel at ease.
Understanding Potential Side Effects
It’s completely normal to have questions about side effects. For most people, the side effects of Accelerated TMS are mild and temporary. The most common ones include a light headache or some scalp discomfort at the treatment site, which usually subsides shortly after the session. Serious side effects are extremely rare. Because TMS is a non-invasive, FDA-approved treatment, it doesn’t carry the systemic side effects associated with many medications. We will discuss all potential effects with you beforehand so you know exactly what to expect.
Life After Your Daily Sessions
After your daily sessions are complete, you can return to your normal activities right away. Since the treatment is non-invasive and doesn’t require anesthesia, there’s no recovery time needed. Many people begin to notice a positive shift in their mood and symptoms within the first few days of treatment. While every person’s experience is unique, the goal is to achieve significant and long-term relief. We will monitor your progress closely and work with you to develop a plan to maintain your well-being long after the treatment course is finished.
Is Accelerated TMS Right for You?
Deciding on a new treatment path is a big step, and it’s completely normal to wonder if it’s the right fit for you. While accelerated TMS offers a promising and faster route to feeling better, it’s important to know that it’s not a universal solution. The only way to know for sure if you’re a candidate is through a detailed, one-on-one conversation with a qualified medical professional who can review your specific health history and treatment goals. Your journey is unique, and your treatment plan should be, too.
Several factors go into determining if accelerated TMS is a safe and effective option. We look at your medical history, your specific diagnosis, and what you’ve tried in the past. This isn’t just about checking boxes; it’s about creating a partnership to find the most effective path forward. During an initial consultation, we’ll sit down with you to understand your story, answer all your questions, and make sure you feel confident and informed about your choices. The first step is simply starting the conversation to explore your options and see what’s possible for your mental health.
Who is a Good Candidate?
Most people looking for relief from persistent depression or OCD are good candidates for accelerated TMS. The main exceptions involve safety. Because the treatment uses powerful magnetic fields, it’s not suitable for individuals with certain types of metal implants in or near their head. This includes things like cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, or deep brain stimulators. However, more common metal items like braces or dental fillings are typically not a problem. During your consultation, our team will conduct a thorough screening to ensure the treatment is completely safe for you.
What Are the Medical Requirements?
To begin accelerated TMS, you’ll need a formal diagnosis of a condition like Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This treatment is often recommended for individuals who have treatment-resistant depression, meaning they haven’t found lasting relief from antidepressant medications or have struggled with their side effects. It’s a powerful alternative when other approaches haven’t provided the results you need. Generally, patients must be at least 18 years old to undergo treatment. Our care philosophy is centered on matching you with the most effective and appropriate treatment for your specific diagnosis and history.
A New Option for Treatment-Resistant Depression
For those who feel like they’ve tried everything for their depression without success, accelerated TMS can be a game-changer. It’s considered a leading-edge treatment specifically for treatment-resistant depression. The intensive schedule is designed to create change in the brain more rapidly than traditional approaches, offering a concentrated and effective path to wellness. Instead of waiting months to see if a treatment is working, you can experience significant improvement in just a matter of days. The efficacy studies behind this technology show just how much hope it can offer when other methods have fallen short.
Can It Help with Other Conditions?
Accelerated TMS is an FDA-approved treatment primarily for depression and OCD, and it has shown incredible success in these areas. While its primary focus is on these conditions, ongoing research continues to explore its potential for others. It’s important to have clear expectations, however. Accelerated TMS is not considered a suitable treatment for certain conditions like bipolar disorder or as a primary treatment for addiction. Our focus is on providing safe, proven, and effective care for the conditions where TMS has demonstrated the most significant and lasting benefits for our patients.
What Results Can You Expect?
Thinking about a new treatment often comes with one big question: Will this actually work for me? It’s completely normal to wonder what the outcome will be and what the path to feeling better looks like. While every person’s journey is unique, we can look at clinical research and our own experience to understand what you can realistically expect from Accelerated TMS. We focus on clear, measurable progress, the timeline for relief, and building a plan for your continued well-being long after your treatment ends.
How We Measure Your Progress
Your progress is more than just a feeling; it’s something we can track together. From the very beginning, we use standardized clinical rating scales to establish a baseline for your symptoms. Throughout your treatment, we’ll use these same assessments to measure changes and see exactly how you’re responding. This data-driven approach helps us ensure your treatment is on the right track. Many TMS research studies confirm this method, with meta-analyses showing significant reductions in depression scores for patients after treatment. This means we have a clear, objective way to see your symptoms lessen over time.
How Soon Will You See Results?
The main advantage of an accelerated protocol is the potential for faster relief. Because the sessions are more frequent and condensed, many people begin to notice improvements much sooner than with traditional TMS. Preliminary evidence suggests that a more rapid improvement in depressive symptoms can be achieved with accelerated protocols. While the exact timeline varies for everyone, the goal is to help you feel better, faster. This approach is especially helpful for those who feel they can’t wait weeks or months for traditional treatments to take effect and need a more immediate path forward.
The Long-Term Benefits of TMS
The goal of any mental health treatment is lasting change, and TMS is designed with that in mind. The magnetic pulses work to create new, healthier neural pathways in the brain, leading to durable results. Studies show that the success rates of Accelerated TMS are promising, with many patients experiencing a significant reduction in their symptoms and over 30% achieving remission. Remission means your symptoms have subsided to the point where they no longer interfere with your daily life. Our focus is always on helping you achieve this kind of long-term success and giving you the tools to maintain it.
Your Plan for Lasting Success
Accelerated TMS can be a life-changing step, especially if you haven’t found relief from other treatments. But the treatment itself is just one part of your wellness plan. To ensure your results last, we create a comprehensive strategy for your continued mental health. This is why we integrate therapy into our treatment plans. Our approach using Therapy Assisted TMS helps you build coping skills and resilience to support the positive changes happening in your brain. We’ll work with you to create a personalized roadmap for what comes next, ensuring you feel confident and prepared for the future.
Deciding if Accelerated TMS is Your Next Step
Making a decision about your mental health care is a big deal, and it’s important to have all the facts. If you’re considering Accelerated TMS, you’re likely looking for a path to relief that fits your life and your needs. This treatment offers a different timeline and intensity compared to other options, so understanding how it stacks up is key. Thinking through the practical side of things—like cost, insurance, and finding the right team to support you—will help you feel confident as you move forward. Let’s walk through what you need to know to decide if this innovative approach is the right choice for you.
How It Compares to Other Treatments
When you look at Accelerated TMS next to other depression treatments, the most significant difference is speed. Traditional TMS therapy typically involves one session per day for about six weeks. Accelerated TMS condenses that timeline dramatically, with multiple shorter sessions each day over the course of about a week. This means you could start feeling relief much sooner. Compared to antidepressant medications, which can take several months to show their full effect, the potential for rapid improvement is a major advantage. The goal is to get you feeling better, faster, without the systemic side effects that can come with medication.
Navigating Insurance and Costs
It’s important to be upfront about the financial side of treatment. While most insurance companies now cover standard TMS therapy for depression, coverage for accelerated protocols is still catching up. Currently, many insurance plans do not cover multiple TMS sessions in a single day, which is the foundation of an accelerated schedule. The best first step is to speak directly with your insurance provider to understand your specific plan and its benefits. Our team is also here to help you understand the costs and explore any available payment options, so you can make a clear and informed decision without any surprises.
How to Find the Right Provider
Finding a clinic that offers Accelerated TMS can be more difficult than finding one for standard treatment, as fewer providers have the specific technology and training required. When you’re searching for a clinic, look for a team that not only offers the treatment but also provides comprehensive support. You want a team of professionals—from technicians to licensed therapists—who work together on your care plan. A welcoming and comfortable environment is also essential, as you’ll be spending a significant amount of time there during your treatment week. We encourage you to meet our team and see how our integrated approach puts your well-being first.
Key Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Feeling prepared for your consultation can make all the difference. As you explore your options, don’t hesitate to ask questions to ensure a provider is the right fit for you. Start with the basics: Is this treatment safe for me based on my medical history? What does the full treatment plan involve, and what is the daily schedule like? You should also ask about how they measure progress and what the potential side effects are. Finally, be sure to get a clear breakdown of the costs. A good provider will be happy to walk you through every detail, and we invite you to contact us with your questions.
Your Support System During Treatment
Going through any new treatment is a process, and having the right support makes all the difference. At Scottsdale TMS Therapy, we believe that comprehensive care goes beyond the treatment chair. It includes careful monitoring from our clinical team, clear communication about what to expect, and a plan for your long-term well-being. Just as important is the support you get from your friends and family. Let’s walk through what your support system looks like during accelerated TMS.
How We Monitor Your Care
Your progress is our top priority, and we keep a close eye on how you’re doing every step of the way. Your treatment begins with our team carefully identifying the precise location on your scalp to place the electromagnetic coil, ensuring the therapy is targeted for maximum effect. Throughout your sessions, our dedicated team of professionals—including nurse practitioners, licensed therapists, and TMS technicians—works together to monitor your care. We have regular check-ins to discuss your progress, track your symptoms, and make any adjustments needed to support your journey toward feeling better.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Accelerated TMS is designed to provide relief faster than traditional TMS, and many people start to notice positive changes in their mood within the first week. However, it’s important to remember that healing isn’t always a straight line. The full benefits of the treatment typically emerge over four to six weeks as your brain continues to respond to the therapy. We are committed to providing transparent information based on efficacy studies and will work with you to set realistic goals. Your journey is unique, and we’re here to support you at every stage.
Do You Need Maintenance Sessions?
Our goal is to help you achieve lasting relief from your symptoms. For many, accelerated TMS provides a significant and durable improvement in their mental health. However, just like with any effective treatment for major depression, a relapse is possible. Some people find that occasional maintenance sessions are helpful to sustain their progress over the long term. This isn’t a sign that the treatment didn’t work; it’s simply a proactive way to maintain your mental wellness. We’ll create a personalized plan with you to support your long-term success after your initial course of treatment is complete.
The Role of Your Personal Support System
While our team provides clinical support, the encouragement from your friends and family is invaluable. Having a strong personal support system can make a huge difference in your recovery. Emotional and practical support—whether it’s a ride to the clinic, a listening ear after a session, or just someone to share a quiet moment with—helps create a positive environment for healing. We encourage you to lean on your loved ones during this time. Our patient-centered philosophy recognizes that your well-being is connected to the people who care about you most, and we welcome them as part of your journey.
Related Articles
- Accelerated TMS Therapy for Mental Health Recovery – Scottsdale TMS Therapy Treatment – Scottsdale & Phoenix
- Accelerated TMS Cost: What to Expect in 2025
- How Does TMS Work? The Science Explained
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a TMS session actually feel like? Does it hurt? This is one of the most common questions we get, and it’s a great one to ask. The treatment itself isn’t painful. During a session, you’ll hear a clicking sound and feel a light, repetitive tapping sensation on your scalp where the coil is placed. Most people get used to the feeling very quickly. Some might experience a mild headache or scalp sensitivity afterward, but this typically fades soon after the session ends.
Why isn’t Accelerated TMS usually covered by insurance? Navigating insurance can be tricky. While standard, once-a-day TMS is covered by most insurance plans for depression, accelerated protocols are still quite new. Insurance companies are often slow to update their policies to cover the latest medical advancements. Because an accelerated plan involves multiple sessions in one day, it doesn’t fit the traditional billing model they’re used to. We are always transparent about costs and can help you understand all your payment options.
Do I have to stop taking my antidepressant medication to do this treatment? No, you generally do not have to stop taking your current medication. Accelerated TMS can be an effective treatment on its own or can be used alongside your existing medication plan. It’s a decision that you and our clinical team will make together during your consultation. We will review your full medical history to create a safe and effective plan that is tailored specifically to you.
How soon will I actually feel a difference in my mood? Because the treatment schedule is so concentrated, many people start to notice a positive shift in their symptoms within the first week. However, it’s important to remember that your brain is building new, healthier connections, and this process takes time. The full therapeutic benefits often continue to build even after your treatment week is complete, typically becoming most apparent over the following four to six weeks.
What is a treatment day really like? Can I work or read between sessions? A treatment day is structured but also allows for plenty of downtime. You’ll have several short treatment sessions scheduled throughout the day, with breaks of about an hour in between. During these breaks, you can relax in our comfortable clinic. Many people use this time to read, listen to music, catch up on emails, or simply rest. The day is dedicated to your well-being, and you can use the time between sessions however feels best for you.