etamine is an anesthetic medication that was originally approved by the FDA to sedate patients during surgery and other invasive procedures. However, administered in low doses by a healthcare professional, this drug is also showing promise in the treatment of chronic pain.
Ketamine is now being used more often in clinical and healthcare settings to help manage patient’s pain. Many doctors are recommending ketamine infusion therapy for pain that’s not being well managed by other forms of pain medications. At Cratus Ketamine Clinic, we see a success rate of 85% when treating patients who have chronic pain with IV Ketamine.
Chronic pain is pain that can result from a variety of causes and conditions such as spinal cord injury, fibromyalgia, arthritis, cancer or CRPS. Ketamine is also an incredibly effective therapy for opioid-resistant pain, migraine pain, and neuropathic pain.
There are a few instances when ketamine treatment is not recommended such as when patients have high blood pressure, fast or irregular heartbeat, or history of a seizure disorder. Our staff can help you decide if you are an ideal candidate for alternative treatment methods such as ketamine therapy.
Ketamine is administered in various methods to help relieve pain and block pain signals including intravenous (IV) infusions or nasal spray. In low doses, ketamine works as an analgesic to bring relief to chronic pain.
The Department of Anesthesiology at Leiden University in the Netherlands conducted a study on the effects of ketamine used to treat various chronic pain syndromes. The study found that “Current data on short term infusions indicate that ketamine produces potent analgesia during administration only, while three studies on the effect of prolonged infusion show long-term analgesic effects up to 3 months following infusion.”
Based on this study, and other current medical research, ketamine works best for pain control when scheduled as a series of infusions spread out over the course of a few weeks. Once you complete your initial ketamine IV treatment plan, Dr. Steuer may recommend an occasional booster session to ensure you continue to experience relief from your pain syndrome.
