Ketamine Therapy
Ketamine is a drug with sedative (sleep-producing), analgesic (pain-relieving), and amnesic (short-term memory loss) effects. Over the years, Ketamine has been used by physicians as an anaesthetic.
Ketamine combats pain by acting against a specific chemical receptor known as N-methyl-D-aspartate, or NMDA, which is found in the nervous system and, in part, modulates pain. Hence, there is a role for Ketamine for chronic pain management in some patients.
Who will benefit from IV Ketamine Infusion?
IV Ketamine infusion can be administered to patients with specific chronic pain conditions such as cancer pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), neuropathic pain, phantom pain, postherpetic neuralgia and spinal injury.
Although Ketamine therapy is a treatment option for people suffering from treatment resistant, it is not a one size fit all solution to these pain conditions. A comprehensive consultation and assessment would allow the doctor and the patient to decide if IV Ketamine may be an effective treatment therapy.
What to expect during an IV Ketamine therapy?
Ketamine infusion is a safe and effective treatment when it is dosed adequately and cautiously based on the body weight. During the infusion, vital signs such as your blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen saturation are monitored as a precaution.
Infusion time usually takes about an hour, but patient may require rest for 3 to 5 hours following the infusion before they can be discharged.
What are the risks and side effects?
IV Ketamine infusion is safe and does not have any long-lasting associated side effects. Although some people may experience sensitivity to light and/or sound, disorientation and disassociation while the treatment is administered, these feelings subside quickly when the treatment is finished. Other possible side effects include dizziness, confusion, nausea, loss of appetite and fatigue.