Ketamine Infusion

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is a type of anesthetic that physicians have used to control pain during surgical procedures for many decades. It works by blocking communication from your peripheral nerves, so pain signals don't get through to your brain.

Research into the effects of ketamine has shown that it also affects the functioning of neurotransmitters in your brain. These chemical messengers affect your mood, and a neurotransmitter imbalance is a leading factor in many mental health conditions.

Because of these effects on your brain and nerves, ketamine now has multiple uses outside of the operating room. It's especially useful for treatment-resistant conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and chronic pain.

What is IV ketamine infusion?

IV is short for intravenous, which is a delivery system that introduces medications into your body directly via your bloodstream. The ketaminology team uses IV ketamine infusion to treat chronic pain and mental health disorders like depression.

If you have chronic pain, the IV ketamine infusion functions as an anesthetic, numbing your pain. The medication reaches the source of your pain more quickly and effectively through the IV line than with oral medication, which must pass through your digestive system.

If you have depression, the IV ketamine infusion gives your brain the stimulus it needs to create new neural pathways. This, in turn, improves the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic approaches to treating depression, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). 

Is IV ketamine infusion right for me?

IV ketamine infusion can be highly effective in treating depression and chronic pain, but it's unlikely to be the first therapy you receive.

Many patients who have these chronic health problems find they improve using more traditional approaches. If you have depression, talking therapies and antidepressant medication are often successful. With chronic pain, physical therapy, medicine, and interventions like steroid injections frequently offer relief.

Only if these approaches aren't working is ketamine considered. In most cases, your condition needs to be treatment-resistant to qualify for IV ketamine infusion.

What happens during an IV ketamine infusion?

IV ketamine infusion is an in-office procedure at ketaminology. Your provider inserts a needle into a vein in your arm and attaches an intravenous line. Then the fluid drips slowly through the line into your blood.

An IV ketamine infusion takes about an hour or so on average. You remain at ketaminology for observation to ensure you don't experience any adverse effects before being sent home. Most patients need more than one infusion to achieve optimal benefits from IV ketamine infusion, but you can discuss this with your provider at your consultation.

To learn more about IV ketamine infusion and how it could benefit you, call ketaminology or request an appointment online today.