Reasons To Consider Ketamine IV Therapy From a Primary Care Physician

Wondering whether you may benefit from ketamine IV therapy? Read on to learn more about this alternative treatment. Ketamine IV therapy may be helpful if you have depression, bipolar disorder, chronic pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), migraines, or other painful conditions. A primary care physician may recommend ketamine if traditional treatment options fail to yield significant results.

An overview of ketamine IV therapy

The use of ketamine as a clinical treatment goes as far back as the 1960s. Smaller amounts of the medication are now being used to treat chronic pain and treatment-resistant depression.

In the 1990s, ketamine was utilized as a successful therapy for a range of conditions, including chronic pain and depression. CRPS was also treated with ketamine. While other oral drugs may take many weeks to show any benefit, ketamine is a fast-acting treatment that lets patients know straight away whether it is helping them.

Esketamine nasal spray is also available to treat depression that has not responded to standard therapy. IV ketamine is only offered as an in-office therapy since it requires professional supervision in case of any adverse effects.

Applications of ketamine IV therapy

Chronic pain and depression patients sometimes discover that other drugs are not working, so they turn to ketamine as a last resort. Ketamine is a very quick and efficient therapy. Nearly 70% of participants in a Cleveland Clinic trial reported reductions in depression after 24 hours of infusion treatment. Ketamine has been shown to be an effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder in several clinical trials.

Even though ketamine has only been licensed for use in general anesthesia by the FDA, the medication is often used for other purposes.

General anesthetic

Primary care physicians employ ketamine alone or in combination with other anesthetics, such as nitrous oxide gas, to induce general anesthesia. They utilize it in the ER to induce short-term drowsiness in patients with fractures or joint dislocation and for wound treatment in those who are recalcitrant, such as kids.

Pain treatment

Medical professionals use minimal dosages that do not cause dissociation to alleviate severe pain caused by the following disorders: trauma, arm or leg pain, lower back pain, fractures, and abdominal pain.

Managing status epilepticus

Status epilepticus is when someone experiences multiple seizures within five minutes or if a seizure lasts more than five minutes. It is called refractory status epilepticus (RSE) when it does not respond to normal antiseizure medications. This severe condition may cause brain damage and even death.

Ketamine was proven to be an effective treatment for RSE in research published in 2015. However, further research is needed to validate the study results and confirm the safety of ketamine for treating this ailment.

Depression treatment

Ketamine has been shown to rapidly alleviate depression in those who have not experienced any significant improvement with other treatments. Ketamine shows promising results in treating this mental disorder, but limited data means physicians are wary of administering the medicine to patients.

According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health in 2016, ketamine misuse is a global health issue due to its hallucinogenic effects. As a result, researchers advocate for clinicians to first try traditional antidepressants before turning to ketamine as a treatment option for depression.

Treatment for anxiety

There is a shortage of research on the use of ketamine to treat anxiety. Some research suggests it may also be beneficial to those with social anxiety disorder. An extreme aversion to social interactions characterizes social anxiety disorder. A clinical study in 2017 tested ketamine on 18 people, and the results were promising.

The safety of ketamine treatment

The use of ketamine is strictly regulated. The primary care physician will monitor the patient's progress until the effects of the medication diminish. Patients only leave the office when cleared by the physician, and they will have to arrange for transportation home. A restful night's sleep might help recover from the fatigue caused by the therapy.

What happens after ketamine IV therapy?

Patients typically feel a change in mood and a decrease in discomfort within an hour of the first ketamine IV therapy. The doctor will arrange multiple treatment sessions to help patients achieve their desired outcomes. Patients may also benefit from routine follow-up treatments on an as-needed basis.

Schedule a consultation with a primary care physician as soon as possible to determine if intravenous ketamine is the treatment for you. They will help you understand the benefits and drawbacks of receiving treatment with ketamine and whether it is a viable choice for you.

Get more information here: https://omgwellnessmd.com or call Optimal Medical Group at (559) 425-1118

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