If several different medications or therapies have been unsuccessful in treating your condition, it's natural to feel frustrated or anxious. It might seem like you've crossed off every choice on the list without getting relief. Fortunately, ketamine infusions are increasingly recognized as an effective option for pain and depression that haven't responded to traditional treatment.
What is Ketamine Therapy?
As a medication that can work where many others have failed, ketamine is complex. It was originally developed for surgical settings in the 1960s, but researchers have since discovered that it's much more useful at sub-anesthetic levels. Even at these lower doses, though, it's capable of taking on many roles in the brain at the same time.
The most prominent of these roles is blocking the brain's NMDA receptors. This kickstarts a process that helps neurons create new communication channels in the brain, making new thought patterns easier to pick up. At the same time, blocking the NMDA receptors is how numerous other pain medications function. Ketamine also reduces inflammation and, at higher doses, can interact with dopamine and opioid receptors. These multiple effects combine to be highly effective for many patients.
What Conditions does Ketamine Therapy Treat?
If you're struggling with one of these conditions, ketamine is a worthwhile option to consider.
What are the Benefits of Ketamine Infusions?
Ketamine infusions act quickly.
Oral medications like antidepressants can take a month to help in noticeable ways, and talk therapy is a time-intensive process. A patient who is responsive to ketamine infusions may notice relief in just a few hours.
Ketamine works on both depression and pain.
Chronic pain that resists treatment can worsen depression, and depression can make it more difficult to follow your treatment plan for pain. To reverse this cycle, ketamine responds to both angles at once.
Ketamine is a treatment that lasts.
According to studies reported in Frontiers of Pharmacology, significant effects on pain reduction last an average of four weeks. After the initial infusions, you will likely only need to return for occasional booster treatments. This means you can spend less time at the doctor and more time living your life.
Are Ketamine Infusions Available to Me?
Here at The Pain Clinic in Boise, Idaho, we provide ketamine infusions for patients with a referral from their doctor or mental health provider. We also schedule pre-treatment wellness assessments for those who do not have a referral.
Whichever way you begin, we are excited to offer this treatment option as a highly successful solution for pain and distress. Contact us for more information or to set up your appointment.