Ketamine Injections in Pain Management
Asta Mažeikaitė, head of the "Agatas" Clinic and a specialist in anesthesia and pain management, discusses another option for pain treatment—the administration of ketamine.
In today’s fast-paced life, the large volume of work and information does not allow people to fall behind, encouraging them to stay a step ahead. To keep up and fully harness our potential, we must feel physically well. Pain, especially chronic pain, forces us to slow down, negatively impacting not only our physical but also our emotional well-being.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine has been used in medicine for over 50 years, primarily as an anesthetic during surgeries. In fact, ketamine is also used in the treatment of chronic pain. Pain specialists prescribe this medication in low doses for patients suffering from neuropathic and phantom pain, postherpetic neuralgia, fibromyalgia, oncological diseases, or complex regional pain syndrome.
Ketamine is a drug with sedative (sleep-inducing), analgesic (pain-relieving), and amnestic (short-term memory) effects. It "fights" pain by acting on a specific chemical receptor called N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), which is found in the nervous system and partially modulates pain.
When Should Doctors Prescribe Ketamine?
Ketamine may be beneficial for patients suffering from chronic pain for whom other pain medications or treatments have been ineffective, and/or for patients who are scheduled for surgery soon and need a reduction in pain intensity.
"I believe ketamine is an effective medication, especially for cancer patients when prescribed opioids become ineffective or when neuropathic pain develops following chemotherapy," says Asta Mažeikaitė, anesthesiologist, head of "Agatas" Clinic, and pain specialist.
Several professional organizations, including the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA), the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM), and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), agree that existing evidence supports the use of ketamine to relieve pain caused by various neurological conditions.
What Does the Procedure Look Like?
Ketamine is administered to the patient intravenously. The procedure takes about 40 minutes. This treatment does not require special preparation, but it is recommended that the patient has eaten beforehand.
Dr. Mažeikaitė emphasizes: "This medication is used in pain medicine due to its unique effects on the central nervous system, acting through specific receptors; however, it is not suitable for all clinical cases." For this reason, doctors prescribe ketamine only after assessing the patient’s clinical situation and comorbidities.
The drug should be recommended with great caution to patients with severe cardiovascular diseases or liver conditions. It is contraindicated for patients who abuse psychoactive substances or have increased intracranial pressure or glaucoma.
The doctor stresses that "ketamine is strictly prescribed only by your treating specialist, as it is not suitable for all patients."
To register with a pain specialist at "Agatas" Clinic, you can contact the clinic’s general phone number: +370 602 26118 or fill out a registration form.