Ketamine is a drug with sedative, analgesic, and amnesic effects. Physicians have used it as an anaesthetic for decades. Doctors first developed it as a fast-acting surgical anaesthetic, and pain specialists later found it useful at much lower doses for chronic pain.
Ketamine acts against a receptor called N-methyl-D-aspartate, or NMDA. This receptor sits in the nervous system and helps regulate how pain signals are processed. By blocking it, ketamine can dampen the pain signalling that persists in some chronic conditions. Ketamine Therapy is one of the treatments within Singapore Paincare’s Neurospan suite of spinal and nerve interventions.
Who will benefit from IV Ketamine Infusion?
IV Ketamine infusion can be administered to patients with specific chronic pain conditions such as cancer pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), neuropathic pain, phantom pain, postherpetic neuralgia and spinal injury.
Ketamine therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution. A comprehensive consultation and assessment helps the doctor and patient decide if it may help. This includes Singapore Paincare’s Painostic® review of pain patterns, pathology, pain perception, and psychological factors.
What to expect during an IV Ketamine therapy?
Ketamine infusion is dosed by body weight and given cautiously under close supervision. What to expect:
- Your doctor calculates the ketamine dose based on your body weight.
- Blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen saturation are monitored throughout the infusion.
- The infusion itself usually takes about an hour.
- You will rest for three to five hours after the infusion before you are discharged.
What are the risks and side effects?
IV ketamine infusion is generally well tolerated when dosed carefully and administered under medical monitoring. Clinical reviews report that side effects are usually mild and resolve quickly (Zhao et al., Current Pain and Headache Reports, 2018). Some patients experience sensitivity to light or sound, disorientation, or a feeling of dissociation while the infusion is running. These effects typically subside soon after the infusion ends. Other possible side effects include dizziness, confusion, nausea, loss of appetite, and fatigue. As with any medical treatment, individual results and side effect profiles vary, and past study outcomes do not guarantee future results.
