Get in touch
315 - 671 - 2140
info@cnytms.com
Our mission is to cultivate hope and bring purpose and meaning to the lives of those suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental health and neurological conditions using the most advanced forms of treatment in psychiatric medicine.
WHAT TMS IS:
WHAT TMS DOES NOT:
Your Health Is Our Priority
Jason Stepkovitch, MD is a board certified psychiatrist who completed his internship at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan and his psychiatric residency at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Stepkovitch has extensive experience in community mental health, having served in the past as medical director for Cortland County Mental Health.
Dr. Stepkovitch of CNY TMS Psychiatry is driven to help his patients achieve an optimal quality of life. His patient interactions are comforting, and you can expect the best in care at CNY TMS Psychiatry.
Dr. Stepkovitch takes great pride in his ability to provide the most advanced form of treatment, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for many of the conditions he treats. TMS offers patients suffering from medication resistant conditions a safe and effective method that treats their condition at the core and offers long-term relief and remission.
At CNY TMS Psychiatric, Dr. Stepkovitch specializes in treating a number of psychiatric and neurological conditions, such as treatment resistant depression, geriatric depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), borderline personality disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer's disease, fibromyalgia, tinnitus, and several other conditions.
If you have been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and have tried one or more medications with no relief, we encourage you to schedule a free TMS therapy consultation with Dr. Stepkovitch. TMS can be a life-changing, life-giving therapy, and a single treatment session can be done in as little as 19-minutes.
Dr. Argiro Explains TMS to a Patient
Salvator Argiro, M.D., is a board-certified psychiatrist with a certificate of additional qualifications in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS therapy). Dr. Argiro is dedicated to providing evidence-based, quality psychiatric care with extensive experience in the public and private inpatient and outpatient settings. He is a member of the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology and American Psychiatric Association, and continues active clinical practice as a consulting psychiatrist at Lourdes Center for mental health and is on staff at Greater Binghamton Health Center.
Dr. Argiro is a graduate of Syracuse University where he received his Masters of Science in Neuroscience, and SUNY Upstate Medical University, where he received his medical degree. He continued his psychiatric residency at University Hospital - Syracuse and has received his board certification in the field of psychiatric medicine.
At CNY TMS Psychiatry, Dr. Argiro specializes in treating depression and other mood disorders with the most advanced form of treatment available, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
ABOUT US
At CNY TMS Psychiatry we seek to not only bring hope for a brighter future, but to enhance and enrich the lives of those suffering from depression and other mental health and certain neurological conditions. In doing so, our patients can live happier, healthier, more productive lives.
Our physicians specialize in treating a number of psychiatric disorders and neurological conditions utilizing the most technologically advanced form of evidenced-based treatment, TMS therapy.
Our team of compassionate certified TMS specialists works with you to develop an individualized treatment plan for optimal patient outcomes. Our philosophy of care is a patient-centered approach where we take time to listen to our patients and better understand their symptoms and overall health.
Our goal is to ensure that you are receiving the best in care, and that your experience at CNY TMS Psychiatry, and your treatment outcome is the best version of yourself.
NO SYSTEMIC SIDE EFFECTS
Unlike medications, TMS therapy has no systemic side effects, such as GI upset, sexual dysfunction, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain, or increased sleeping problems.
MORE EFFECTIVE THAN MEDICATIONS
Since it's initial FDA approval for major depressive disorder in 2008, TMS therapy has been shown to be consistently superior to medications in numerous clinical studies.
LONG-TERM BENEFITS & REMISSION
TMS is a safe and effective alternative to medications or ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) that offers long-term remission from the debilitating symptoms - helping you to achieve a better quality of life.
While TMS therapy has been FDA-approved to treat adult patients with major depressive disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, much research has also shown that it is a safe and effective treatment for a number of other mental health-related and neurological conditions.
Just like many medications are used 'off-label' to treat a wide variety of symptoms, TMS therapy is also used 'off-label' to treat a number of psychiatric and physical conditions. CNY TMS Psychiatry specializes in treating both FDA-approved and 'off-label' conditions using transcranial magnetic stimulation, a safe and effective magnetic therapy that treats your condition at its core.
CNY TMS Psychiatry uses TMS to treat:
The TMS treatment combined with my physiatrist, Dr. Stepkovitch, has been a life changer. I can see a light at the end of tunnel. Dr. Stepkovitch truly cares, and talking to him - it feels like you matter. The all around experience is rewarding.
- Jessica Wells
TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation. This form of therapy uses magnetic fields similar to that of an MRI machine, but targets certain parts of the brain to stimulate or inhibit neurons. During a TMS therapy treatment session, a magnetic field is administered in very short pulses to the part of the brain being treated. A typical initial course of treatment is about 19-minutes five days a week for approximately 6-weeks, with the last six treatment sessions titrated over a 3-week period.
CNY TMS Psychiatry also offers shorter treatment protocols where treatment can be completed in just a few days for those who qualify.
Most patients can expect to start experiencing relief after 5-10 TMS treatment sessions. However, this can vary greatly depending on the severity of depression and the individual’s unique genetic makeup. Some patients may not feel the effects of TMS for several weeks, while others may experience a near immediate relief.
Painful? No. Uncomfortable? It depends on the individual. In the majority of patients, TMS is well tolerated with only minor discomfort on the scalp where TMS is applied. Most people describe TMS as a light to moderate tapping sensation where the coil is being applied. The sensation of the pulse may feel similar to a TENS unit.
Slight discomfort may be felt because there are several nerves in the scalp where TMS is being applied. Naturally some of these nerves will also be lightly stimulated by the TMS coil as they are also conductive and will pick up the electromagnetic pulse.
You cannot feel TMS in your brain, as the brain has no pain receptors itself.
And even though stimulation of the scalp nerves may cause some discomfort at first, this too subsides as the patient progresses through treatment, generally after the first few treatment sessions.
Patients are asked to stop the use of Wellbutrin before beginning TMS and to abstain from alcohol during the course of their TMS treatment.
Prior to your initial treatment, which is your mapping session (when the doctor with locate the area of the brain to be treated), you may be asked to refrain from taking any medications that might prevent a successfull mapping, such as Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Neurontin, or muscle relaxers.
Yes. For patients who have failed two or more trials of antidepressants, most major insurers will cover TMS treatment (the numbe of medication trials is determined by your health insurance plan). Insurance will typcially require a prior authorization, which we obtain for you within approximately 7-10 days following your initial TMS consultation visit. For off-label treatment or other situations in which insurance will not reimburse directly, using a health savings account or Advanced Care Card are common options.
CNY TMS Psychiatry also offers discounted rates for those paying in full at the beginning of treatment and flexible payment plans in an effort to assist our patients with getting the care they need to improve their quality of life.
The TMS treatment combined with my physiatrist, Dr. Stepkovitch, has been a life changer. I can see a light at the end of tunnel. Dr. Stepkovitch truly cares, and talking to him - it feels like you matter. The all around experience is rewarding.
- Jessica Wells
TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation. This form of therapy uses magnetic fields similar to that of an MRI machine, but targets certain parts of the brain to stimulate or inhibit neurons. During a TMS therapy treatment session, a magnetic field is administered in very short pulses to the part of the brain being treated. A typical initial course of treatment is about 19-minutes five days a week for approximately 6-weeks, with the last six treatment sessions titrated over a 3-week period.
CNY TMS Psychiatry also offers shorter treatment protocols where treatment can be completed in just a few days for those who qualify.
Most patients can expect to start experiencing relief after 5-10 TMS treatment sessions. However, this can vary greatly depending on the severity of depression and the individual’s unique genetic makeup. Some patients may not feel the effects of TMS for several weeks, while others may experience a near immediate relief.
Painful? No. Uncomfortable? It depends on the individual. In the majority of patients, TMS is well tolerated with only minor discomfort on the scalp where TMS is applied. Most people describe TMS as a light to moderate tapping sensation where the coil is being applied. The sensation of the pulse may feel similar to a TENS unit.
Slight discomfort may be felt because there are several nerves in the scalp where TMS is being applied. Naturally some of these nerves will also be lightly stimulated by the TMS coil as they are also conductive and will pick up the electromagnetic pulse.
You cannot feel TMS in your brain, as the brain has no pain receptors itself.
And even though stimulation of the scalp nerves may cause some discomfort at first, this too subsides as the patient progresses through treatment, generally after the first few treatment sessions.
Before your initial treatment, which is your mapping session (when the doctor locates the area of the brain to be treated), you may be asked to refrain from taking any medications that might prevent a successful mapping.
Yes. For patients who have failed two or more trials of antidepressants, most major insurers will cover TMS treatment (the numbe of medication trials is determined by your health insurance plan). Insurance will typcially require a prior authorization, which we obtain for you within approximately 7-10 days following your initial TMS consultation visit. For off-label treatment or other situations in which insurance will not reimburse directly, using a health savings account or Advanced Care Card are common options.
CNY TMS Psychiatry also offers discounted rates for those paying in full at the beginning of treatment and flexible payment plans in an effort to assist our patients with getting the care they need to improve their quality of life.
If you are suffering from a condition where medication have not been helpful or have not provided you satisfactory relief, to download a copy of A Patients Guide to TMS Therapy. If you would like to receive a copy via email, please send us your request and we're happy to send it to you.
CNY TMS Psychiatry is a Certified TMS Therapy provider for the greater Onondaga and Broome county areas in Upstate New York.
Phone:
315-671-2140
Email:
Info@CNYtms.com
Our Location in CNY
31 E Main St. Marcellus, NY 13108
CNY TMS Psychiatry is a Certified TMS Therapy provider for the greater Onandaga county area in Central New York.
Phone:
315-671-2140
Email:
Info@CNYtms.com
Address:
1/2 Orange St., Ste. 2 Marcellus, NY
All Rights Reserved | CNY TMS Psychiatry
Jason Stepkovitch, MD
Salvatore Argiro, MD
David Kang, MD
Joanne Bigness, FNP-BC, FMHNP-BC
Direct: 315-671-2140
Fax: 315-673-5052
Email: Info@cnytms.com
Clinic Location in CNY:
31 E Main St. Marcellus, NY 13108