Does TMS Cause Headaches or Migraines? My Experience + What Helped

If you’re starting transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for depression and wondering, “Does TMS cause headaches or migraines?” you’re not alone. Headaches and scalp tenderness are among the most common TMS side effects, and for people like me who are already migraine-prone, treatments can light up pain pathways you really don’t want lit. In this piece, I share exactly what TMS feels like session-to-session, where the pain shows up, how long it lasts, and what triggers it (coil position, stimulation intensity, and timing). More importantly, I’ll walk through what actually helps: simple TMS headache relief steps, small adjustments your technician can make, and practical migraine-prevention tweaks that let me keep…