Step 1 of 3
Get familiar with the room.
TMS uses an external coil held against the scalp. You remain awake. Earplugs help protect your hearing.
A question you can ask
“Can you show me the coil and explain the ear protection?”
An interactive companion to the TMS side-effects guide
Inside a TMS session
Explore the setup, look beneath the coil, and practice asking for a pause. Move at your own pace.
Treatment roomAnimation paused
Loading the 3D illustration…
A seated patient, ear protection, and an external coil.
Sound starts off. No treatment speed or intensity is reproduced.
Drag to rotate, or use:
Simplified anatomy and equipment. The field overlay, timing, and sound are illustrative, not a treatment setting or a prediction of sensation.
Choose a conversation to practice
Scalp discomfort can occur during TMS. Tell the treating team how it feels.
Practice asking for a pause.
“I’m uncomfortable. Can we pause and talk about what I’m feeling?”
The treating clinician decides whether an adjustment or further assessment is appropriate.
Understand the scene.
This is a visual orientation, not a complete safety guide. It does not assess suitability, predict results, or explain every TMS device. Different systems and clinical protocols can look different.
Review the TMS treatment information and care-finding resources.
Clinically reviewed.
This walkthrough and the accompanying TMS side-effects guide were medically reviewed together by Salvatore G. Savatta, MD on September 29, 2026.
Clinical source: Clinical TMS Society: TMS procedure, side effects, and screening. Source checked September 21, 2026.