Far from a controversial drug, ketamine has been available since the 1950s. It has proven to be effective at fighting chronic pain, as well as some psychological conditions. Since chronic pain can cause depression and vice versa, ketamine infusion therapy can take care of both with one treatment session, although regular maintenance sessions are recommended to keep it effective. Instead of living with chronic pain, call NYC pain management to see if you can take advantage of ketamine therapy.
Ketamine therapy works to relieve your suffering if you live with chronic pain. In America alone, 76 million people complain of chronic pain. The most common cause for chronic pain is a back injury that leads to lower back pain. You can also suffer chronic hip pain or pain in your legs because of a bad back.
Visit New York pain clinic for the help you need to get beyond your pain. Your pain management doctor in NYC needs to do a complete physical and medical history before you can receive ketamine infusion therapy. It also helps to know the main reason for your chronic pain. Depending on the location of your pain, you may have:
Other Conditions Treatable with Ketamine
Ketamine is a medicinal drug that has analgesic or pain-numbing properties. Ketamine therapy is a convenient and fast way to get relief from chronic pain. Sometimes, your chronic pain can cause psychological problems or vice versa. These psychological conditions also benefit from the ketamine infusion therapy because ketamine works well as an anti-depressant.
Consult with the best pain management doctor in NYC about a successful ketamine treatment if you’re suffering from medical conditions such as:
What Is Ketamine?
Chronic pain can be so strong that it prevents you from getting out of bed in the morning. It may be localized or generalized, which makes it difficult to treat. Visit the offices of Pain Management NYC to get rid of all kinds of pain, including chronic pain. One of the modalities your pain specialist may recommend for your chronic pain is ketamine infusion therapy. Administered through an intravenous drip, this treatment can stop the pain, allowing you to fully participate in your life once again. Call today for an appointment.
Ketamine is a drug that was initially used as a surgical anesthetic in operating rooms. It combines psychotropic and analgesic effects. Further research and trials revealed more qualities of ketamine, which increased its variety of applications.
The FDA classifies ketamine as an anesthetic induction agent. That means it’s meant to be administered intravenously for anesthetic pain relief. Today, ketamine has become one of the best pain management methodologies, especially for chronic pain syndromes that have a neuropathic component.
At Pain Management NYC, the experienced pain specialists rely on the latest approaches to pain treatment, including ketamine infusion therapy. Ketamine therapy is a new modality for dealing with pain, especially chronic pain that occurs in your:
- Head, as in chronic tension headaches or migraines
- Neck
- Shoulders
- Upper back
- Mid-back
- Low back
- Sacrum or pelvis
What Is Ketamine Infusion Therapy?
Ketamine infusion therapy refers to a specific treatment that a top pain management doctor in NYC administers. Ketamine is given to you intravenously for pain relief. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 percent of U.S. adults complained of chronic pain in 2019.
The search for safe, long-term pain relief has led to a rise of ketamine infusion therapy over the last two decades. Ketamine works by:
- Blocking specific pain receptors
- Providing anti-inflammatory benefits
- Producing an analgesic reaction
- Delivering long-term pain relief
Chronic pain can turn your life upside down because it hinders your ability to perform normal activities. Ketamine treatments provide alternatives to other, more invasive treatments, such as spine injections, minimally invasive surgery and the Discseel procedure. The best Manhattan pain management specialists now use this infusion therapy for more effective pain relief.
Who’s a Good Candidate for Ketamine Infusion Therapy?
You may be a good candidate for ketamine infusion therapy if:
- You’ve been living with chronic pain.
- You’ve been living with CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or RSD
- You suffer from post-operative pain.
- You suffer from severe depression.
Any kind of pain that affects your quality of life requires a long-term solution. If you have chronic pain from an injury, your injury doctor in New York City may recommend ketamine infusion therapy. Your NYC pain management doctor may prescribe this treatment for pain syndromes ranging from chronic low back pain to temporomandibular joint dysfunction or TMJ syndrome.
Who’s Not a Good Candidate for Ketamine Infusion Therapy?
While ketamine infusion therapy is highly effective for pain management, there are some people who don’t qualify for this therapy, including anyone:
- With allergic reactions to ketamine infusions
- Who has a cardiovascular disease
- Who has an uncontrolled blood pressure condition
- Who is or may be pregnant or breastfeeding
- With a history of psychosis
The only way to discover if you’re a good candidate for ketamine infusion therapy is by talking to a specialist in pain management in Manhattan. Your pain doctor examines you, takes a medical history and orders diagnostic imaging tests, if necessary, to determine if you can benefit from the infusion therapy. During your initial consultation, your doctor fully explains the treatment so you learn what to expect.
How Ketamine Infusion Therapy Works
Ketamine was synthesized as a drug more than 50 years ago. It was used initially as an anesthetic during surgeries in hospitals and other medical establishments. But the properties of ketamine reveal a much more complex effect on people.
Ketamine inhibits some communications with receptors within your brain while effectively improving the connections made between other neurons. Some researchers believe that ketamine alters your central nervous system and how it processes pain signals. It also interferes with your hormones, repairs damage at the chemical level and alters your mood.
Ideal Candidates for Ketamine Therapy
If you suffer from chronic pain or depression, you may be an ideal candidate. Your doctor examines you and asks you some questions, but it’s up to you to inform your top pain specialists in NYC:
- If you have a heart condition that causes a fast heartbeat
- If you suffer from high blood pressure
- If you had a past head injury
- If you are prone to seizures
Under the skillful hands of your pain management doctors, a ketamine treatment is always safe. All the conditions listed are important factors in determining if the ketamine therapy is right for you.
Getting the Ketamine Treatment
When you decide to get ketamine infusion therapy — or your doctor from Pain Management NYC recommends it for you — a top pain specialist analyzes your physical and mental health. This helps him determine how effective the ketamine treatment will be for you. The assessment also helps your doctor estimate the right ketamine dosage for you and the number of treatment sessions you may need.
Ketamine infusion therapy is a simple, non-invasive procedure. The ketamine drug is administered through an intravenous needle in your arm. Depending on your condition and the amount of ketamine you’re taking, you may be at the doctor’s office for several hours. You start feeling better almost immediately, as soon as the ketamine drug is introduced into your body.
After Your Treatment Session
The effects of the ketamine therapy can last you anywhere from days to weeks. Some pain doctors in NYC prefer tapering your treatment sessions. For example, you may get three infusions in the first week, two the next week and then one ketamine infusion therapy session the final week. Once the healing process begins, you continue getting a maintenance ketamine treatment on an average of once every month.
Ketamine infusion therapy is effective, and a vast majority of people experience no side effects. When administered properly by an experienced pain doctor, you can expect the same. So why not get started on a path toward living pain-free? Schedule a consultation with an expert at Pain Management NYC to see if you’re a candidate for ketamine treatments.
What’s the Procedure for Ketamine Infusion?
Ketamine infusion therapy is an in-office, outpatient treatment for pain. For the best back pain treatment in Midtown Manhattan, the procedure follows some basic steps, such as:
- You first talk to your doctor about your pain. The pain management doctor carries out tests to determine the cause of your pain, takes your medical history and examines the area in pain. Your doctor recommends the ketamine infusion therapy for your pain management if it’s appropriate for you.
- The procedure takes place in the offices of Pain Management NYC over the course of about four hours, depending on your needs. Your pain specialist carries out tests, including regular blood tests and blood pressure tests, during your treatment. The pain management doctor starts you off on a low dose of ketamine and increases it during the procedure. You may need multiple sessions for the best results.
- You remain in a recovery area for up to an hour and a half before you’re released. Your doctor continues monitoring your reaction to the drug. Arrange to have someone you trust drive you home to recover.
- Effects of the treatment. Effects may start a few hours after your infusion, or it may take several days for you to feel the full pain-relieving effects.
Living with chronic pain lowers your quality of life, which can lead to depression and other emotional issues. Contact the best pain management doctors in New York City at Pain Management NYC. These physicians offer specialized treatments, including ketamine infusion therapy, to relieve your pain and restore your body’s function.
Leon Reyfman, MD, is a top-rated, best-in-class interventional pain management doctor. He is a nationally recognized pain relief specialist and is among the top pain care doctors in New York City and the country. He is an award-winning expert and contributor to prominent media outlets.
Dr. Leon Reyfman has been recognized for his thoughtful, thorough, modern approach to treating chronic pain. He has been named a “top pain management doctor in New York” and one of “America’s Top Doctors™” for advanced sports injury treatments. Among other accolades, he was voted by peers as a “Castle Connolly Top Doctors™” and “New York Super Doctors™”. Dr. Leon Reyfman was a part of the medical team at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.