Ketamine Infusion for Depression
Depression is a serious medical condition that is associated with symptoms such as melancholy, loss of pleasure, loss of energy, difficulty in concentrating, and suicidal thoughts. The World Health Organization estimates that depression will be the world’s second most common health problem by 2020. Affecting nearly 350 million people, roughly 5% of the global population, many suffer in silence or have tried and failed at conservative treatment methods. Oftentimes, in these cases, people turn to alcohol or other drugs to find relief. For so many, the pain and public miss-judgment become so severe that they ultimately see death as their only alternative. According to the CDC, depression is the primary reason why someone dies of suicide about every 13 minutes– over 41,000 people a year.
Current antidepressant medications usually take a few weeks to work – and half of the patients fail to fully respond. The urgent need for improved, faster acting antidepressant treatments is underscored by the fact that severe depression can be life-threatening, due to the heightened risk of suicide. Recent data suggest that ketamine, given intravenously, might be the most important breakthrough in antidepressant treatment in decades by lifting depressions symptoms within hours.
This promises a new option for people with some of the most disabling and chronic forms of depression, whether classified as a major depressive disorder or bipolar depression. One of the earliest effects of Ketamine infusion is a profound reduction in suicidal thoughts. It is important to note that ketamine is not labeled an anti-suicide medication. However, the reduction in suicidal thoughts, especially given the risk of suicide in people with severe, treatment-resistant depression is critical.
At Michigan Pain Management Consultants, P.C., we provide low dose ketamine infusions in a safe, professional setting for patients who may have experienced resistance to alternative treatment methods for depression. Ketamine is a safe FDA approved anesthetic used in hospitals around the world since the 1960s. The antidepressant indication was first identified in the 1990s and has shown tremendous results in helping to relieve depression symptoms. Ketamine is not a cure for depression and does require ongoing maintenance treatments once stabilized. However, because of this physiologic change, many patients sense an improvement in as little as 1 – 2 treatments. It is certainly possible for ketamine patients, in conjunction with psychological support and other integrated wellness programs, to experience life with little to no depression symptoms.
Ketamine Infusion for Chronic Pain
Ketamine has been used in medicine for over than 50 years, it’s most commonly known for its benefits as an anesthetic during surgery. However, there has been a recent growing interest in ketamine infusion as a treatment method for chronic pain. Healthcare providers have begun to prescribe low doses of this medication to patients with chronic pain conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome also known as RSD.
The anesthetic ketamine is used to treat a variety of chronic pain syndromes, particularly those which have a neuropathic component. Low doses of ketamine produce strong analgesia in neuropathic pain states.
Who is a good candidate?
- Patients with recurring chronic pain that have not had much success with other conservative treatment methods.
- Patients with chronic pain who plan to undergo surgery and would like a different alternative.
What conditions can be treated?
Several conditions can be treated by ketamine infusion, including cancer, complex regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain, phantom pain, postherpetic neuralgia, sickle cell disease, and spinal injury. Ketamine has been used to manage pain in all of these conditions.
How is it administered?
Ketamine is most commonly delivered through an intravenously and must be administered cautiously and adequately to be safe and effective.
Call our office today so that we can help you determine if ketamine infusion is right for you!
Sources:
National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Substance & Mental Health Services Administration, World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control