Ketamine is an anesthetic that has been used for many years in a surgical setting. However, this medication also has unique properties that enable it to be an effective medication to help with depression, other mood disorders, and chronic pain.
At Ahwatukee Ketamine Clinic and Drip Lounge, we offer low-dose ketamine infusion therapy to help provide our patients with treatment options for several different conditions. With our services in Phoenix, AZ we aim to provide personalized care to patients who are suffering from conditions that are resistant to other types of treatments.
What Is Ketamine and How Does It Work?
Ketamine is a medication that is FDA-approved for use as an anesthetic during surgery. It is used every day to sedate patients and provide pain relief. However, this medication has capabilities that have allowed it to be used in low doses to treat other conditions.
Ketamine treatments are thought to work for nerve disorders and chronic pain because it affects NMDA receptors in the brain. As it blocks these receptors, it allows for an increase in glutamate availability. By doing this, it is thought to be able to create a healthier neurological pathway and reduce symptoms of certain disorders and conditions.
Ketamine therapy should only be administered by a doctor in a professional ketamine treatment center. This can ensure proper dosage as well as a personalized treatment plan to help give you the best results.
What Can Ketamine Treat?
Ketamine for Depression
One of the most frequent uses for ketamine in our office is for treatment-resistant depression. Depression is a disease that affects many people of all ages. It can be experienced seasonally or chronically and is often paired with other mood disorders such as anxiety. Often, more traditional treatments are ineffective, which leads people to search for more options. Ketamine for depression can be a good option for those who have not had success with other treatments.
Ketamine for Anxiety
Anxiety is a crippling mental illness that affects a large percentage of the population. Unfortunately, many people who struggle with anxiety are not getting the help they need. Ketamine for anxiety works by triggering a series of biochemical processes that lead to the production of chemicals that are important for the connectivity of neurons in the brain. This process can help to regulate activity in the amygdala which can help lower symptoms of anxiety and fear.
Ketamine for PTSD
If you are suffering from PTSD, we may be able to help at our ketamine clinic. Ketamine for PTSD has been shown to form healthier pathways in the brain through the release of glutamate which can help regulate activity in the brain. Ketamine treatments can be beneficial for patients with PTSD because often they also suffer from other mood disorders alongside their PTSD such as depression and anxiety. Ketamine may help to reduce symptoms of all of these disorders, allowing for a more simplified treatment.
Ketamine for Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathy can cause a variety of symptoms, including pins and needles in the feet or hands, sensitivity to touch, pain, muscle weakness, clumsiness, and more. Because many people find that current medications are ineffective at treating neuropathic pain, they may seek other treatments. Low doses of Ketamine infusions may be able to ease neuropathic pain. Our ketamine infusion therapy can bring relief soon after treatments.
Ketamine for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is an invisible disease that affects many people every year. At our ketamine treatment center, we understand the frustration of a disease that causes daily pain but doesn’t have a clear cause or treatment. Because fibromyalgia seems to be connected to an overall amplified pain response and a reactive central nervous system, ketamine infusions have seen success at treating fibromyalgia by blocking pain signals in the brain.
Ketamine for Migraines
Migraines are a chronic disease that can be difficult to treat and can mean many days of pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound for the sufferer. By blocking NMDA receptors in the brain, ketamine has shown promise at reducing the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. Ketamine infusion therapy can often bring migraine relief soon after treatment. If you have migraines that don’t seem to respond to lifestyle changes or medications, you can talk to us about ketamine treatments for migraines.
What Are Ketamine Treatments Like?
When you arrive for your treatment, you will be placed in a comfortable and controlled room for the duration of your treatment. The ketamine treatment will be administered through an IV line. The infusion itself can last for 45 minutes or more. The experience of ketamine therapy is different for everyone. You may feel disconnected from your body or feel like you are floating. You may also see colors or patterns. Your treatment is closely monitored to ensure your comfort throughout the process.
What to Expect From Your Results
Everyone is different and there is no specific timeline for treatment results. However, many people begin to feel better right after treatments. If the ketamine session has worked, you may feel lighter, have fewer moments of sadness or anxiety, or reduced symptoms of pain. You may need more than one session to achieve the results you are looking for.
Ketamine Treatments in Phoenix, AZ
Whether you suffer on a daily basis from chronic pain such as migraines or fibromyalgia, or you have difficulty getting out of your bed or leaving the house because of depression, anxiety, or PTSD, our ketamine clinic may be able to help. At Ahwatukee Ketamine Clinic and Drip Lounge in Phoenix, AZ, we are here to help. Call us today or fill out an online form for more information.