Ketamine Infusion
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Long Island Ketamine Center
Internal Medicine & Ketamine Infusion Specialist located in Great Neck, NY
Whether you need to ease chronic pain or recover from ongoing depression, ketamine can produce rapid relief, and an intravenous (IV) infusion is the best way to ensure optimal results. Ebrahim Sadighim, MD, at Long Island Ketamine Center in Great Neck, New York, has extensive experience administering ketamine infusions that deliver the precise dose needed to treat your underlying condition. To learn more about ketamine and whether it’s a good option for you, call the office or request an appointment today.
Ketamine Infusion Q & A
What is ketamine?
Ketamine is a general anesthetic that has been safely used during surgery for decades. When ketamine is administered in a subanesthetic dose, however, it has a different impact. Low-dose ketamine effectively relieves pain and treats psychological disorders.
Though ketamine affects several biochemical pathways in your body, it primarily relieves pain by blocking cellular structures in your brain that send pain signals. The medication produces rapid symptom improvement in psychological disorders through its effect on a brain chemical called glutamate.
When glutamate is out of balance, it leads to symptoms such as depression and anxiety. As ketamine restores normal glutamate levels, your symptoms dramatically improve.
What health conditions does a ketamine infusion treat?
Ketamine treats chronic pain caused by many conditions, including:
- Fibromyalgia
- Neuropathic pain
- Chronic back pain
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Phantom limb pain
- Acute and chronic migraines
- Postherpetic neuralgia
As ketamine restores normal glutamate levels, psychological conditions improve, including:
- Major depression
- Bipolar depression
- Treatment-resistant depression
- OCD
- PTSD
- Anxiety
Ketamine’s ability to produce rapid results also makes it an exceptional treatment for suicidal patients.
Why does a ketamine infusion produce optimal results?
Ketamine can be administered with a shot or a pill. When medication goes through muscles or your gastrointestinal system, the full dose doesn’t make it to your bloodstream.
An IV infusion sends ketamine directly into your bloodstream, where the full dose quickly reaches your brain. An infusion gives Dr. Sadighim the ability to precisely control the amount of ketamine you receive, and to make adjustments as soon as they’re needed to achieve optimal results.
What should I expect during a ketamine infusion?
Your ketamine infusion is performed in the peaceful atmosphere of the Long Island Ketamine Center. After you relax in a comfortable treatment chair, the IV needle is inserted and connected to the ketamine drip.
Dr. Sadighim slowly infuses the medication into your bloodstream, closely monitoring you throughout your treatment. Your infusion takes one to four hours, depending on the condition being treated and your dose.
During your infusion, you may have mild side effects such as feeling dizzy or like you’re floating. You could also develop nausea or become hypersensitive to light. Patients are seldom uncomfortable, but Dr. Sadighim can give you medications to relieve side effects if needed.
When your infusion is finished, you continue resting in the clinic until all of the medication has cleared your system, then you’re free to go home.
Most patients need a series of about six ketamine infusions to achieve optimal symptom relief. A series of infusions also produces longer-lasting relief than a single treatment.
To learn if a ketamine infusion can treat your condition, call Long Island Ketamine Center or request an appointment today.