What You Should Know About Ketamine Infusion Therapy

As health care professionals, we greatly value ketamine’s low side-effect profile, its overall effectiveness at lifting mood and relieving pain, and its quick action in reducing symptoms.

The basics of ketamine infusions

Ketamine has been used for decades as a surgical anesthetic and pain reliever. Ketamine acts on your NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors and stimulates glutamate activity. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that’s key to regulating your mood.

Ketamine works quickly to effectively treat conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, suicidal ideation, and various chronic pain issues that are resistant to traditional treatments

At Integrated Spine & Pain Care, we deliver ketamine through intravenous (IV) infusion. We calculate the dose so your infusion therapy provides the beneficial effects of ketamine while eliminating the general anesthetic qualities necessary for surgery.

Prior to ketamine treatments

Before you schedule your ketamine infusion therapy, we carefully evaluate your physical health and conduct a thorough review of your medical history.

We discuss, in detail, ketamine, your expectations for therapy, and any previous treatments you’ve undergone for your pain, depression, migraines, or whatever condition with which you’re struggling.

At your ketamine infusion

Your ketamine treatment is delivered in a private and pleasant setting.

The technician places an IV in your vein and the infusion begins. You feel a prick during the IV insertion, but otherwise, the treatment is painless. You simply sit back and relax as the ketamine drips into your body.

When dosed appropriately, ketamine can immediately lift your mood, but it doesn’t provide the “high” you may experience with opioids or other drugs. Ketamine can actually mellow you out and sedate you slightly. Generally, you can expect to remain relaxed yet awake throughout the infusion.

In the 30 minutes following treatment, you remain in our office so we can check your vitals and reaction to the ketamine.

Following ketamine IV infusion therapy

Your ketamine infusion therapy can make you a little groggy, so you should have a loved one or friend drive you home from treatment. By the next morning, you should feel energized again.

Don’t be surprised if you notice a change in your mood and a reduction in pain within an hour of your first treatment. We will schedule you for a series of treatments to help you achieve optimal results. Some patients benefit from occasional follow-up treatments, too.

To find out more about ketamine therapy and if it’s an option for you, call us at Integrated Spine & Pain Care or schedule a consultation using this website.