Chronic pain can be a daily struggle and touch nearly every aspect of life. It can sabotage your sleep, increase anxiety, and contribute to missed work days.
Our team at Allied Psychiatry & Mental Health in Newport Beach, California, offers intravenous (IV) ketamine therapy to help you manage chronic pain. If you’re considering ketamine therapy but wondering how long it will last, read on. Dr. Hadi Estakhri explains how ketamine provides pain relief and how long that relief can last.
Before ketamine was used to help with depression, it was used as a surgical anesthetic. Now, intravenous ketamine therapy can help manage chronic pain conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) or neuropathic pain.
Ketamine targets your brain in ways traditional painkillers don't. It works by blocking NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors in your brain. By doing this, ketamine can reduce your pain intensity and reset your brain's response to pain over time.
This makes it particularly helpful for individuals with chronic pain conditions who haven’t responded well to opioids or other common pain relief medications. Here at Allied Psychiatry and Mental Health, Dr. Estakhri offers two forms of ketamine therapy:
Regardless of which type of therapy you receive, ketamine provides pain relief by interacting with your brain in ways traditional pain medication doesn’t.
It’s no secret that ketamine therapy provides pain relief, but for how long? There isn’t a single, clear-cut answer to this question. How you respond — and how long you feel relief — can vary widely from person to person.
Some people experience significant pain relief immediately after their first session, while others may need a few infusions before they notice a substantial reduction in pain.
According to data published by the International Anesthesia Research Society, ketamine therapy serves as short-term anesthesia and provides pain relief for around two weeks. Researchers noted, though, that the duration of pain relief could be influenced by whether you had a high or low dose.
If you have a chronic condition, you may benefit from maintenance infusions every few weeks or months to maintain a consistent level of relief.
Several factors contribute to how long ketamine can manage your pain. These include:
Conditions like CRPS may require more frequent treatments, while others may require fewer sessions for longer-lasting relief. This is why Dr. Estakhri takes time to learn about your chronic pain, what the root causes are, and how intense your pain is.
Some people benefit from a single series of infusions, while others need regular maintenance. Our Allied Psychiatry and Mental Health team will determine the right number of infusions and the right cadence based on your specific needs.
Each person’s brain chemistry and response to ketamine can influence how long relief lasts.
If you combine ketamine with other therapies, such as physical therapy or counseling, you may experience longer-lasting relief.
Ketamine therapy isn’t for everyone, but it can be the right move for people with chronic pain conditions who haven’t responded to traditional pain management approaches.
Dr. Estakhri can determine if ketamine is right for you and how often you need infusions to get the relief you need. To get started with your consultation, call us at 949-945-0927 today or book an appointment online anytime.
