What does TMS stand for?

TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation, according to John Hopkins Medicine. TMS treats patients with depression who do not benefit from antidepressant medications or who cannot tolerate them due to side effects.

In a TMS procedure, the brain is stimulated using an insulated coil that is placed over the scalp and focused on the area of the brain which regulates mood. The magnetic pulses generated by the coil pass painlessly through the skull and into the brain. When these pulses are done in succession, they generate long-lasting changes in brain activity. This procedure is safe, but doctors recommend an initial evaluation before it is performed.