Chronic pain affects millions of people all over the world. It could be a result of an injury, medical conditions, etc. Chronic pain can make it difficult for you to perform daily tasks and lead a normal life. Many different types of pain can occur at any given time, including; bone and muscle discomfort, nerve-related pain, headaches/migraines, back pain, neck pain, etc. Sometimes the exact cause of the pain cannot be identified, which is known as idiopathic pain.
Pain Management With Ketamine
One of the most effective pain management methods is ketamine infusions. Ketamine is an anesthetic agent that has been used for over half a century in both human and veterinary medicine. It has also been used in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and many other conditions where the patient is suffering from acute pain. At our office, we use Ketamine to manage chronic pain and discomfort with no side effects.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a medication commonly used to treat pain, typically moderate to severe. It is classified as an anesthetic and sedative. Generally, Ketamine is administered to two types of patients – those suffering from chronic pain that cannot subside with other pain medications or treatments or those with chronic pain and planning to undergo surgery.
For the treatment of pain, Ketamine has been shown to be effective, especially for use in combination with opioids for pain management. There is some concern about the safety of using these drugs together because of the potential for abuse. This is why more research is needed to make a final determination about the efficacy of using these two medications together.
What Conditions Can Ketamine Be Used For?
By activating certain receptors in the brain, Ketamine decreases the perception of pain and has been shown to provide significant relief for patients experiencing chronic pain. Ketamine has shown effective results in managing pain for patients with conditions like phantom pain, cancer, CRPS, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, postherpetic neuralgia, spinal injury, etc.
How Is Ketamine Administered?
Ketamine is commonly administered to patients via two routes – orally as a pill or through an IV (intravenous) pump. The other modes of administration of Ketamine include the use of Ketamine as a topical gel or cream that is applied to the skin, inhaled through the nose, or injected into a muscle or bone. The mode is chosen by the practitioner as per the patient’s condition and the clinical setting.
Are you in chronic pain? We can help. Please reach out to Florida Regional Pain Management, PA: Shonith Manohar, MD, in Jacksonville, FL, to schedule a consultation with Dr. Manohar. You can call us at (904) 737-7246 or schedule a consultation online, and we’ll guide you further.