Everyone endures occasional aches and pains, whether from exertion, injury, or medical condition. Many times, over-the-counter pain medications are all you need. On other occasions, you may need to rest for a few days.
Chronic pain gets diagnosed when your pain symptoms last 12 weeks or longer. Often, it’s not the same as other types of pain.
After an injury, for example, the pain diminishes after your body heals. Chronic pain may be related to a condition that doesn’t heal, like arthritis, but sometimes nerves report pain even after the original injury heals.
The lack of an observable cause makes the pain difficult to treat, and it’s why you can call on Westside Pain Specialists for effective treatment. Dr. James Nassiri and his team specialize in finding solutions for chronic pain issues. Ketamine infusions are one such treatment that can bring you relief when more conventional medications fail.
First approved for use as an anesthetic in 1970, ketamine proved effective as a field medication during the Vietnam War. Today, it’s still used during some surgeries, being a safe anesthetic when used under controlled conditions. It’s also used with cancer patients who have grown resistant to opioid medications.
The key benefits of ketamine are that it doesn’t interfere with respiration or reduce blood pressure, key factors during surgery. It also functions as a general anesthetic delivered through injection or intravenous (IV) drip, so it doesn’t require specialized equipment or highly trained anesthesiologists.
In low doses, ketamine acts as a painkiller, and this property makes it a candidate for treating chronic pain.
Delivered through an IV drip in a treatment of about an hour, ketamine can provide long-lasting changes to the way you perceive chronic pain. It’s thought to act on certain receptors in the brain and spinal cord that amplify pain signals.
As an added bonus, these receptors also play a role in opioid dependence. Ketamine can not only reduce the intensity of your pain sensations, it has anti-inflammatory effects too, a positive factor if your pain is due to degenerative or still-healing conditions.
Ketamine is not without its challenges, since it can cause agitation, anxiety, and hallucinations. Dr. Nassiri carefully plans your ketamine infusion program and monitors you closely to assure you’re receiving enough medication to reduce your pain, but not so much that you experience negative side effects.
For most patients, the ketamine infusion itself creates a relaxing, floating sensation.
While it might not be an answer for everyone, ketamine may hold the key to effective pain management for you. Contact Westside Pain Specialists by phone at the nearest location in Beverly Hills or Rancho Cucamonga, California.
There’s no need to live with chronic pain. Start the search for your solution today.
We offer treatment for neck pain, back pain, sports injuries, along with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Call us to book your appointment today.
