Ketamine for Chronic Pain Management
The #1 benefit of Ketamine Infusion Therapy for chronic pain is its ability to sometimes bring relief to symptoms within minutes or hours, rather than the weeks or months medication or physical therapy can take.
Ketamine was first developed and approved by the FDA as an anesthetic, but it has been used as a medicine to treat pain for decades. Ketamine is what some doctors are calling the biggest breakthrough in depression and the treatment of pain in decades. When infused at a low dose into the bloodstream, research indicates that Ketamine may be up to 80% effective at treating the symptoms of chronic pain and depression.
Pain is, unfortunately, an unavoidable part of life. In most cases, pain is a sign that something is wrong, and it can sometimes be the only symptom that lets you know that you need to seek medical attention.
When you have an injury, pain sensors are triggered that send messages through your nerves to let your brain know that you are hurt. In most cases, the pain will go away once the cause of the problem is resolved, such as when a cut heals on your finger. Short-term pains are also typically easy to manage with common remedies that lower inflammation and promote healing such as ice on a sprained ankle.
What Causes Chronic Pain?
The medical community is still unsure about the exact causes of chronic pain or CRPS, but research indicates it can be triggered by an injury or conditions such as the following:
- Arthritis/joint problems
- Headaches
- Backaches
- Muscle strains/sprains
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Fibromyalgia
- Lyme disease
- Nerve damage
- Broken bones
- Acid Reflux
- Cancer
- Ulcers
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Endometriosis
- Surgery
Chronic Pain Symptoms
Chronic pain can affect your emotional well being, temperament and mood, and even your personal relationships over time. Oftentimes, you will develop other symptoms in addition to the pain. Symptoms may include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Trouble sleeping
- Fatigue
- Feelings of guilt
- Irritability
- Loss of interest in hobbies or sex
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Marital or familial conflict
- Suicidal ideation
Unfortunately, some people suffering from chronic pain grow dependent on their medication and will need to take more and more each time to feel relief.