Ketamine is a drug commonly known for its role as anesthesia during surgeries. Doctors have used ketamine for more than fifty years as anesthesia. Doctors have recently been using the drug to relieve chronic pain for conditions like complex regional pain syndrome. Delray Beach Ketamine relieves pain by acting against a chemical receptor, N-methyl-D-aspartate, found in the nervous system. The treatment can cause complications, but this usually happens when you get the wrong dosage. Your doctor first evaluates your symptoms and overall health to develop the right ketamine treatment plan suitable for your condition.
When should you consider ketamine therapy?
Ketamine can help relieve two forms of chronic pain. Your doctor can recommend the drug if other pain medications or treatments do not relieve discomfort. It can also be beneficial if you have chronic pain and need surgery. Ketamine can help alleviate chronic pain in conditions like cancer, fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain, sickle cell disease, spinal injury, phantom pain, or postherpetic neuralgia.
Additionally, ketamine can be useful if you have seizures that do not respond well to other treatments. The drug can also help improve mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and severe depression. Doctors believe ketamine works by helping your brain form new synapses or pathways, providing long-term relief for these mental health conditions.
Ketamine results vary in different patients with chronic pain. Pain relief varies from mild to moderate. The drug may not relieve pain if your N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are not activated. You may not qualify for the treatment if you have poorly controlled cardiovascular disease, severe liver problems, substance abuse issues, poorly controlled psychosis, high intracranial pressure, or glaucoma.
How do doctors administer ketamine?
Your doctor can administer ketamine through different routes. The intravenous route is the most commonly used. You can also ingest ketamine orally as a pill, inhale it through your nose or apply it directly to your skin as a topical gel or cream. Your doctor can also inject the drug into your bone or muscle. The route your doctor uses depends on your condition.
What are the side effects of ketamine?
Ketamine can cause various side effects even if your doctor prescribes the right dose. Common effects include drowsiness, double vision, confusion, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and unease. Ketamine may also cause other symptoms for a longer period affecting many body parts, but this is rare.
What are the risks of ketamine?
Although ketamine is safe for most patients, it has various risks. Some patients may experience a temporary increase in blood pressure and heart rate or reduced blood pressure and heart rate. Abnormal heart rhythms can also happen. If you get an overdose of ketamine or the rate of administration is rapid, you may experience respiratory depression.
Research shows that children may experience cognitive or thinking problems after ketamine therapy. You may have agitation or confusion during your postoperative recovery period. Ketamine also causes liver dysfunction in some cases. But the treatment is safe for most patients when taken correctly.
Ketamine acts as a sedative, a painkiller, and an amnesic. It helps relieve chronic pain that does not go away with other treatments and treats certain mental health conditions like depression. Schedule an appointment at Florida Pain Management Institute for ketamine therapy to relieve chronic pain.
