Ketamine Infusion Therapy for Pain and Depression

Research over the past couple of decades has proven the antidepressive properties of Ketamine, which is the basis of ketamine infusion therapy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ketamine for inducing anesthesia, but it can also help with managing psychiatric disorders and chronic pain. 

Our office will prescribe Ketamine for treating depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including post-operative and chronic pain. Ketamine infusion therapy is usually not the first treatment option for pain and depression, but it can help when standard treatment options fail.

Application of Ketamine infusion therapy for depression

Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate adversary, when infused intravenously, has been proven to be beneficial for treatment-resistant depression, major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts, and bipolar depression. Ketamine infusions increase the brain's synthesis and the function of neurotransmitters and are now being used to treat a growing number of individuals with mental health issues.

According to a study published by a British team, Ketamine is beneficial as monotherapy or adjunctive treatment for depression, especially treatment-resistant depression, due to its rapid rate of efficiency. Since major psychiatric disorders such as MDD are part of the most incapacitating neurological, mental, and substance abuse-related ailments, new treatment methods are being evaluated to treat or interrupt the onset of these disorders.

Ketamine infusion therapy has been used in combination with psychiatric treatment and can provide significant momentary relief to the symptoms, though the long-term effects are still under research. Minimal doses of Ketamine can cause rapid and strong (although brief) antidepressive effects, including for treatment-resistant patients who are not yielding to electroconvulsive therapy. Studies have shown that Ketamine infusion therapy lowers depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts within 30 to 40 minutes in about 60 to 75 percent of patients.

Ketamine for chronic pain treatment

The use of Ketamine infusion for treating chronic pain is effective through an interdisciplinary, multimodal, patient-centered approach. Ketamine is beneficial for managing chronic pain in many disorders, including ischemic limb pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), fibromyalgia, phantom limb pain, and other neuropathic conditions.

Ketamine has also been proven to treat anxiety and depression caused by chronic pain and other chronic conditions. As a principle of the multimodal approach, doctors use Ketamine infusion therapy as a first or second option in treating neuropathic pain, regardless of the cause. Since the potentially lasting effects on memory and cognitive functions in chronic pain patients require more study, Ketamine infusion therapy is only used for patients with treatment-resistant neuropathic pain, as it is with refractory CRPS pain.

Ketamine infusion therapy may be applied as an opiate substitution for cancer pain, majorly from neuropathic causes. It may sometimes help in treating patients who cannot handle opioids or those facing issues with opioid responsiveness. Ketamine can lower the severity and occurrence of opioid side effects, which is a critical factor in patient compliance. For instance, the opioid-ketamine combination may prove beneficial for non-neuropathic pain or in cases of mixed nociceptive/neuropathic pain.

How Ketamine is used

Doctors use an IV to administer small dosages of Ketamine into the patient's system, which is known as a "ketamine infusion." Each step takes under an hour and is more like receiving a soothing spa massage than undergoing a serious medical operation. Patients relax in a comfy chair and fall off into a trance-like condition that fades quickly once the operation is complete. With a personalized infusion plan, patients may retain the benefits for a long time.

The reason for Ketamine's use is clear. Ketamine provides an alternative to narcotics and opioid drugs and relief from unpleasant side effects such as weight gain, libido loss, dizziness, addiction, and impairment. Traditional antidepressants, on the other hand, are not as quick-acting as Ketamine when it comes to treating the chemical imbalances contributing to depression and other mood disorders. It has also been shown to be effective in treating chronic diseases that have failed to respond to medicine or other treatment methods.

Beyond the many health advantages, Ketamine infusions provide a quick, efficient, inventive, and reasonably priced answer to many of the problems that individuals deal with daily. In addition to being a more effective treatment for pain than opioids, Ketamine may also help addicts break themselves off opioid use.

Still under research

The clinical application of Ketamine infusion therapy for depression and pain management is continually evolving. Additional research on this topic is necessary for more information on its effectiveness. Get in touch now to learn whether Ketamine treatment is right for you.

Request an appointment here: https://omgwellnessmd.com or call Optimal Medical Group at (559) 425-1118 for an appointment in our Fresno office.

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