You know the feeling – the numbness and tingling in your hands and feet. That sharp shooting pain that keeps you up at night.
You’ve barely moved, yet your body aches all over – it feels like you’ve run a marathon.
Your doctor has prescribed you the medication. You’ve been educated on the diet changes and which exercises to do. You’ve done it all, but you’re still in pain. You crave to have a sense of normalcy again. You’re not alone.
Over 20% of American adults experience chronic pain.1 The vast majority say it has a negative impact on their daily lives. Fortunately, a lot of research continues to be explored in this field. Research shows there are more treatment options to manage pain.
Ketamine infusion therapy is becoming a popular therapy for chronic pain, but many people don’t know what it is. Let’s talk about what ketamine infusion therapy is and how it can help with your chronic pain.
What Is Ketamine?
You may have heard of ketamine as a horse tranquilizer or a street drug. But ketamine has been used for decades in the medical community. A group of chemists first discovered Ketamine in a Michigan lab in the 1950s.
In the 1960s, ketamine was first approved in Europe for use as a sedative and anesthetic for veterinarians. By the 1970s, it was approved for human use in the United States for anesthesia.2 Over the years, doctors and scientists have studied how to use the drug outside of the operating room. Now, we know that ketamine can be used to treat various conditions when given in low doses.
What Do Ketamine Infusions Treat?
Low-dose Ketamine has been shown to support many people with various conditions. Ketamine infusions treat conditions like:
Migraines
Chronic pain
Fibromyalgia
Nerve pain
Pain associated with cancer
Depression
If you experience chronic pain, you know how it completely changes your life. Your quality of life is not what it used to be. You may have difficulty working or even doing basic tasks that you used to take for granted. The pain takes over, and you find yourself unable to spend quality time with friends or family. After a while, this can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.
Ketamine has been used off-label to treat these conditions, mainly through intravenous infusion therapy in a hospital or outpatient setting. It’s becoming a more accessible treatment as more ketamine clinics are opening across the country. These infusions may be an option for you to manage your chronic pain and get your quality of life back.
Before you consider ketamine infusion therapy for your chronic pain, let’s discuss how it works to treat pain.
So, How Does Ketamine Work to Treat Chronic Pain?
Before we can understand how ketamine works, it’s essential to know about the brain. Our brains are constantly receiving chemical messages to keep our bodies functioning. Our brain receives messages so that our heart can beat, we can breathe, and even feel emotions.
Let’s break down how this process works. Chemical messages our brain receives are called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters send signals to receptors which then trigger a specific action.
One receptor in the brain is called NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate). When a neurotransmitter called glutamate is released, it attaches to NMDA receptors. This signals to your brain that you're in pain. Ketamine blocks the NMDA receptor in the brain. By blocking the receptor, our brain doesn’t receive the signal to feel pain.3
For example, if you experience nerve pain, your nerves can be damaged, but you won’t feel the pain if your brain doesn’t receive the correct signal. Blocking the receptor shows promising results for people experiencing unmanageable chronic pain.
Many people are great candidates for ketamine infusion therapy. But because ketamine is such a potent drug, it’s crucial to have a thorough consultation with a physician to know if this therapy is a good fit for you. Let’s dive into who can benefit from this treatment and if that includes you.
Am I a Candidate for Ketamine Infusion Therapy?
Have you experienced little to no success treating your migraines, chronic nerve pain, fibromyalgia, or pain related to cancer?
Do you take more and more oral medication – only to find little to no relief for your pain?
If your doctor continuously increases your pain medication or your pain is resistant to medications, low-dose ketamine infusion therapy may be another option for you. Typically, the best candidates for ketamine therapy are people who have treated their chronic pain through traditional treatment methods and lifestyle changes with no success.
When used in a medical setting with oversight from medical professionals, low-dose ketamine infusions can be very successful. But there are some people who may not be a candidate for it.
You may not be a candidate for ketamine infusion therapy if you…
Are pregnant or breastfeeding
Have uncontrolled blood pressure
Had a recent concussion
History of brain injury or increased intracranial pressure
Have heart failure
Have schizophrenia
Had an adverse reaction to ketamine4
It’s important to talk to your doctor or local Ketamine infusion clinic to discuss your full medical history so they can assess if this therapy is right for you.
What to Expect for Your Ketamine Infusion
With more and more evidence that ketamine can treat chronic pain, infusion clinics are becoming more popular. Most infusions will run between 30-40 minutes in a relaxing environment. You’ll be asked to wait an additional 20-30 minutes to be monitored by medical staff.
Although everyone’s treatment plan will be different, most people can expect an infusion every 2 to 3 weeks for about six infusions. It’s important to note that the timeline of ketamine therapy will vary from person to person and be determined by your ketamine provider.
After your initial series of infusions, you may need maintenance therapy to keep your pain from coming back. Maintenance therapy is every 4 to 6 weeks, but it depends on how severe your symptoms are and how effective the infusions are for you – everybody is different.
People have reported seeing initial results within hours of getting the infusion. While most people can see the benefits of this therapy right away, most people report long-lasting results after just three infusions.
The use of ketamine is constantly being studied and reviewed. Currently, low-dose ketamine infusions for chronic pain are considered off-label use. So, it’s not covered by insurance.
How Much Does Ketamine Infusion Therapy Cost?
It’s important to note that cost varies depending on location. First, you’ll need an initial consultation to ensure you’re a good candidate for the therapy. This can cost anywhere from $400-$600. Then, you’ll start getting your infusions every few weeks.
Typically, the infusion therapy costs anywhere from $375-$1,200 per infusion. The best way to find out exactly how much ketamine infusions cost is to contact your local clinic for their specific pricing.
How to Find a Ketamine Clinic
If you’re interested to learn more about ketamine infusion for chronic pain, your next step is to find a provider. Once you’ve found one, it’s time to get a thorough consultation. Here are three simple ways you can find a ketamine clinic.
Simple Google Search. You can simply type in “ketamine infusion clinics near me” or search for ketamine clinics in your area. Although these clinics are becoming more popular, your access to a clinic may depend on your location. You can also search local pain management clinics to see if they offer this service.
Ask around. Word of mouth is a great way to find new providers. You can talk to your doctor about your pain management regimen and ask if ketamine infusions would be a good next step. A doctor on your treatment team may know a ketamine provider. Do you have friends or family working in healthcare who may have a recommendation? Leverage your network to see if you can find any trusted providers and start a conversation.
Ketamine Clinics Directory. You can also check out Ketamine Clinics Directory, where you can search ketamine clinics throughout the United States and Canada.
You don’t have to struggle alone. If you’re struggling to manage your chronic pain and think you may be a candidate for ketamine infusion therapy, contact a clinic today for an initial consultation.
References
