Is Ketamine Therapy Safe?

Ketamine has been medically used for multiple decades, first as a surgical anesthetic, and, more recently, as a treatment option for mental health and chronic pain conditions.

At VIP Integrative Health Care, LLC, we stay on the cutting edge of medical research in order to give you and your loved ones the best possible care. Martine Senatus, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, and her team offer care to new and existing patients from a location in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Could ketamine therapy be right for you? And, is this type of treatment really safe? Here’s what you need to know about the promise of therapeutic ketamine.

Ketamine as therapy

Ketamine produces dissociative effects, and acts as an inhibitor for the NMDA receptors in your brain and nerves. Within the brain it works on NMDA receptors to alleviate depression and anxiety. There no other known antidepressants that work in the NMDA receptors, thats why we typically use ketamine after all other antidepressant medication trials have failed. These effects made this drug an obvious option for anesthesia in years gone by, and are also why ketamine remains popular as a street drug.

However, unlike street use, therapeutic ketamine relies on controlled doses, administered in a supervised environment. You don’t need to be worried about becoming addicted to therapeutic ketamine. In fact, ketamine therapy can actually reduce your reliance on addictive opioid medications.

Your provider at VIP Integrative Health Care, LLC makes sure you’re safe and comfortable during your ketamine therapy. With ketamine treatment, you can recover from conditions that have haunted you for a long time. Most patients tolerate ketamine therapy well, and many find this type of supervised drug treatment effective and beneficial.

How ketamine can help you

We’re still learning more about all the ways that ketamine therapy can improve your quality of life. Ketamine shows promise as a treatment for physical and mental health conditions that resist other forms of treatment.

If you struggle with mental health conditions like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), using therapeutic ketamine in a supervised environment can alleviate your symptoms. 

Ketamine is an FDA-approved treatment option for treatment-resistant depression, and can often help patients who don’t get enough relief from psychotherapy or traditional medication management.

And, ketamine also shows promise as a treatment for stubborn, hard-to-treat chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia. If you’ve tried everything for your chronic pain without sufficient relief, ketamine therapy could be the answer you’ve been seeking. 

Types of ketamine therapy

Dr. Senatus specializes in intravenous (IV) ketamine infusion, delivering the medication directly to your bloodstream. You rest in our clinic while your infusion treatment takes place. If you have an allergic reaction, or react to the IV, our team is on-site to address the issue immediately, keeping you safeguarded.

And, if infusion therapy isn’t right for you, there are other ways to conduct your ketamine treatment, including injections and nasal sprays.

Your ketamine therapy plan typically involves multiple, spaced-apart treatment sessions.

To learn more about whether you could be a good candidate for ketamine therapy, get in touch with Dr. Senatus DNP  at VIP Integrative Health Care, LLC. Schedule your initial consultation appointment online or over the phone today.