For decades, medical professionals have turned to ketamine in many settings. It has been used as a surgical anesthetic in emergencies such as battlefield surgery and quickly provides short-term sedation for procedures such as reducing fractures. The World Health Organization lists ketamine as an essential medication for surgical use in developing nations.

But beyond these common uses, ketamine is emerging as an exciting medication for people who suffer from various mental health problems. At Klarisana, we have seen patients whose lives have changed, and we’re committed to bringing ketamine therapy to our patients in New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas.

What is ketamine treatment?

Medical professionals have studied several new off-label uses for ketamine in recent years. The medication shows promise in discomfort with migraines, chronic pain disorders, fibromyalgia, and major depressive disorder.

In some cases, healthcare providers report that they see better results using ketamine than with standard medications. Psychiatric doctors have observed that mood disorders respond more quickly and efficiently than traditional pharmaceuticals. Pain management experts explore it as a safer treatment option than opioid painkillers.

Treatment plans using ketamine vary depending on how severe a patient’s symptoms are. In general, it’s administered six times in a few weeks. After this series is completed, patients may receive maintenance ketamine therapy at regularly spaced intervals.

What is ketamine used for medically?

The FDA only officially approves ketamine as a general anesthetic and a painkiller. However, there is growing interest in its “off-label” use to treat specific mental health problems.

Ketamine appears to affect certain neurotransmitters, and it seems to help the brain build new connections. When used along with other treatments, such as talk therapy, it may help retrain the brain.

However, these are only part of how it impacts emotional health. It can also have a mild psychedelic effect, a side effect seen when used in its original applications. But with these new uses, this may be a part of the benefit it provides.

Severe Depression

Anyone who grapples with severe depression knows that it is not a condition that can be easily dismissed with facts. Ketamine therapy seems to help the brain to learn new ways to process thoughts and experiences. The dissociative and mildly hallucinative effects may assist this process.

PTSD

Coming to terms with traumatic events seems impossible when upsetting brain reactions keep you stuck far beyond the event. The effects of ketamine seem to help patients move past the need to explain or understand these events to start to heal and finally find peace.

Severe Anxiety

Logical arguments are ineffective in the thoughts that keep people trapped in anxiety. Upsetting thoughts cause stress reactions in the body; these stress reactions keep the mind and body in a stressful state. Ketamine may help interrupt that cycle, so patients can learn healthier thinking patterns and learn appropriate responses to situations.

Chronic Pain

One of the contributors to chronic pain is a feedback loop between the nerves and the brain’s responses to the pain, with the reaction of each stimulating the other. Ketamine may not only short-circuit this process, but it could also help address the depression and PTSD that often affect people living with chronic pain.

Ketamine Treatment Options In Colorado, Texas, And New Mexico

Ketamine use has been around for decades as a sedative and painkiller. Recently, healthcare providers have become interested in new uses for the medication. The science is ongoing, but many patients, who struggle with mental health issues, have said that ketamine has helped them progress past their battles.

Klarisana offers intramuscular ketamine therapy to help patients in a safe environment with trained professionals. Most locations have mental health care providers on-site. At Klarisana, we believe that ketamine therapy should be available to as many people who need it as possible. To make it more accessible, we offer the best rates for treatment, and we accept insurance.

If you’re interested in exploring what ketamine IM therapy can do for you, we invite you to contact us today.