Ketamine for Migraines Treatment
Low-dose ketamine infusions as a therapy for the treatment of depression are slowly starting to become a more mainstream concept. There have been several recent reports in the media profiling the type of patient successes that we here at The Wellness Drip have seen regularly. Less well known is ketamine’s effectiveness in treating several pain syndromes, including migraine headaches.
How Can Ketamine Help with Migraines?
Some hospital in-patient services and hospital emergency rooms have employed Ketamine infusions for several years to treat intractable migraine headaches. Recently, Dr. Eric Schwenk, the Director of Orthopedic Anesthesia at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, and colleagues completed a retrospective study to ascertain the effectiveness of ketamine in this population. All sixty-one patients studied received daily low dose ketamine infusions for three to seven consecutive days.
Almost 75 percent of the patients experienced an improvement in their migraine intensity. On a scale of 0 – 10, the average migraine headache pain rating at admission was 7.5, compared to 3.4 on discharge. The moderate infusion was 5.1 consecutive days. The infusion day with the lowest average pain rating was day 4.
This study’s focus was on short-term relief. The author is encouraged by the potential for ketamine infusions to provide long-term relief.
The Ketamine Infusion Experience
During treatment, we go above and beyond to make sure all of our patients feel as comfortable as possible in their own private rooms. Infusions typically last 45-60 minutes for mood disorders, while chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia require a larger dose.
A number of our patients refer to a “dissociative” effect, and most of our patients respond positively to this sensation. In many cases, this disassociation effect is what aids with your treatment and delivers a positive response to ketamine therapy.
These are all ordinary components of the treatment. You will always remain in a safe atmosphere with our team there to monitor you and be readily available during your infusion.
Is Ketamine Therapy Right for You?
Although it has been used for more than half a century as an anesthetic and pain reliever, ketamine is now proving to be the most significant breakthrough in depression treatment in decades as well. Studies show that up to 72% of patients may find relief from symptoms after undergoing a series of IV Ketamine infusions.
If you are interested in learning more about how ketamine treatment for migraines can help you, contact The Wellness Drip today and schedule your free consultation.