Have you been going through occasional periods of pain that do not seem to be going away? Does this pain not seem to be going away? Chronic pain is a discomforting condition, especially if traditional treatment methods do not seem to be working. There are several treatment plans available to deal with chronic pain problems. One of the proven, most-effective chronic pain management methods is ketamine therapy. For Delray Beach Ketamine therapy, go through the article further to get more information.
What is Ketamine Therapy Treatment?
Ketamine therapy treatment is a medication that physicians use as an anesthetic to trigger loss of consciousness. They induce effects of sedation and decreased levels of pain.
Ketamine therapy has been approved by the FDA for use only as a general anesthetic. However, some doctors may prescribe it to deal with conditions like depression. It is also used as a hallucinogenic with properties like incapacitation, sedation, and short-term memory loss; thus, it is used as a date-rape drug.
Recreational use is hazardous as it should only be used in controlled medical situations.
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used for medical procedures that may not need muscle relaxation. You may have the feeling of disconnection while going through a sleep-like state.
You may also go through hallucinogenic effects like LSD, such as distorted perceptions of sight and sounds.
The FDA has only approved ketamine for anesthetic purposes, although it has several off-label uses like:
Pain Treatment
Ketamine is used in low doses so as not to produce dissociation properties and relieve pain for conditions such as:
- Fractures
- Trauma
- Leg or arm pain
- Abdominal pain
- Lower back pain
Inducing General Anesthesia
Ketamine can be used alone or combined with other anesthetics like nitrous oxide. In the emergency room, it is used to give short-term sedation when:
- Treating joint dislocations
- Reducing fractures
- Repairing wounds in patients that do not cooperate like children
Treating Depression
Patients with depression who do not respond to other forms of treatment may benefit from ketamine. However, its use is not thoroughly researched; thus, use is taken with precaution.
Its hallucinogenic properties bring a significant problem in its use, with doctors recommending standard antidepressants before using ketamine.
Treating Status Epilepticus
Status epilepticus is a condition whereby you go through a seizure lasting longer than five minutes or many seizures in between periods of less than five minutes.
Refractory status epilepticus does not respond to antiseizure drugs and may result in brain damage or death. Ketamine use has been known to treat the condition through comprehensive research.
Treating Anxiety
People with social anxiety disorder can get help from ketamine to alleviate their fears of being in social situations.
There are several side effects of ketamine use, such as:
- Double vision
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Feeling uneasy
Although ketamine therapy is most widely known for its anesthetic purposes, its use in chronic pain management has been revolutionary. This is incredibly convenient in situations where other treatment plans are not working. For more about ketamine therapy, go through our website or call our offices in Delray Beach, FL.