Why Should You Consider Ketamine Infusions For Chronic Pain?
Do you suffer from chronic pain? If so, you may be looking for ways to manage it that don’t involve prescription medications. However, prolonged use of many pain-relief drugs, including opioids, can create resistance to its effects for many patients, and increasing doses usually means increasing side effects, too. These traditional medications also often have unpleasant side effects and risks, such as dependence or addiction.
Fortunately, an alternative therapy offers relief from chronic pain without the dangers posed by traditional drugs: ketamine infusions. Ketamine infusions are an effective treatment for chronic pain, and many people are now choosing this option over traditional treatments. We will discuss the benefits of ketamine infusions and why you should consider them as part of your pain management routine.
1. Reduce Inflammation and Pain
Chronic pain like arthritis, fibromyalgia and neuropathy can devastate the quality of life. Traditional treatments like painkillers and anti-inflammatories may not always be practical or cause serious side effects. Ketamine infusions provide an alternative by reducing inflammation in the body, which has been linked to improved pain relief. These infusions also help to decrease nerve pain, build a tolerance to specific medications and reduce reliance on opioids.
2. Non-Addictive Treatment for Chronic Pain
Pain relief treatments like opioids are highly addictive, leading to addiction and even overdose. On the other hand, ketamine is not an opioid and therefore does not have the same high potential for abuse or development of tolerance. Ketamine infusions, on the other hand, are well tolerated with a low rate of adverse effects and have been found to help reduce pain intensity more quickly than traditional treatments.
3. Effective Treatment for Conditions That Don’t Respond Well To Other Therapies
Many chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and neuropathic pain can be stubborn and unresponsive to traditional treatments. With the correct dose of ketamine administered as an infusion, these conditions have seen improvements in reducing chronic pain levels and restoring quality of life.
4. Fast-Acting Relief
Ketamine is known for providing fast-acting relief from various chronic pain conditions. Many individuals who have used ketamine to treat their chronic pain report that the drug works in a matter of minutes, providing temporary pain relief lasting up to two hours after just one infusion session. Studies show that when used as prescribed and combined with other treatments such as physical therapy and counseling, ketamine can effectively reduce pain over the long term.
5. Ketamine Infusion Therapy Is an Outpatient Procedure That Does Not Require Hospitalization
Some painful medical conditions like myofascial pain syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, and radiculopathy can require days or even weeks of hospitalization. It is not only expensive but also restricts your mobility.
Ketamine infusions are outpatient procedures performed in a clinical setting. The doctor will place an IV line, and the infusion will be administered to you in a few hours. The treatment is short-term and does not require any recovery time.
Ketamine is an FDA-approved medication used in anesthesia to reduce pain and provide sedation during surgery. Contact Gateway Spine and Pain for immediate pain management in Chicago. Our doctors understand how chronic pain can impact your daily life and are here to help.