Ketamine Infusion Therapy

Republic Spine and Pain

Interventional Pain Management Specialists located in North Austin, Austin, TX, Leander, TX, & Georgetown, TX

Ketamine is a form of anesthesia most often used as a medication to control pain during surgery. More recently, researchers have found that the anesthesia can serve as a safe and rapid treatment for many chronic, often hard to treat, health conditions, such as major depression, bipolar disorder, and chronic pain. The board-certified pain medicine specialists at Republic Spine and Pain in Austin, Leander, and Georgetown, Texas, offer ketamine infusion therapy as a treatment option. To learn more about ketamine infusion therapy and how it may benefit you, call the office or use the online booking tool.

Ketamine Infusion Therapy Q & A

What is ketamine?

Doctors have been using ketamine as an anesthetic since the 1960s. It’s a general anesthesia for diagnostic and surgical procedures that don’t require relaxation of the muscle, pain reduction in a crisis situation, and as a supplemental anesthetic for dental procedures. Ketamine is a preferred form of anesthesia for these purposes because it works quickly and doesn’t slow down breathing or circulatory function like other types of anesthesia.

What is ketamine infusion therapy?

Ketamine is only FDA-approved for use as an anesthetic, but researchers have been studying the use of ketamine as a treatment for the management of psychiatric disorders and chronic pain conditions. Ketamine infusion therapy refers to the intravenous administration of the anesthetic for the treatment of these health issues.

This innovative therapy has been clinically proven to be a safe and effective treatment for those suffering from:

Drug-resistant depression
Anxiety
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Bipolar disorder
Chronic pain

It’s theorized that ketamine helps these conditions by inhibiting and activating various receptors in the brain to improve communication between the neurons. Ketamine infusion therapy may also alter the signals responsible for inflammation, which benefits depression and pain conditions. Symptoms are often relieved during or within a few hours of the infusion.

Am I a good candidate for ketamine infusion therapy?

The experienced team at Republic Spine and Pain determines if you’re a good candidate for ketamine infusion therapy during a consultation. Though clinically proven to be safe and effective, your doctor may only recommend ketamine infusion therapy after conservative therapies fail to improve your condition.

How many ketamine treatments do I need?

The number of ketamine infusion therapy treatments you need depends on the condition being treated, the severity of your symptoms, and your overall health. The pain management specialists at Republic Spine and Pain develop individualized ketamine infusion therapy treatment plans that outline the number and frequency of your infusions, as well as the length of time needed for each treatment.

Your ketamine infusion therapy is conducted at the office under close supervision and it’s recommended that you arrange to have someone drive you home following your session.

To schedule a consultation with the pain management experts at Republic Spine and Pain to see if you’re a good candidate for ketamine infusion therapy, call or request an appointment online today.

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