Whether you’re considering Ketamine infusions for yourself or a recommendation for a loved one, it’s important to know what Ketamine infusions are all about. With so much information being spread around the interwebs these days, rumors, facts, and myths can often get mixed up. Below, we’ve collected a few of the most common Ketamine Facts & Myths to help you learn more about Ketamine infusions and their results!
MYTH: Ketamine is always addictive.
When people first hear about Ketamine treatments, they immediately tend to think about Ketamine abuse and addiction. Yikes! While Ketamine is certainly dangerous when abused, Ketamine treatments under the direction of a trained doctor are safe and very effective for treating various ailments WITHOUT the addictive qualities. The National Institute of Health determined that Ketamine addiction and Ketamine infusions are not connected — this is because during Ketamine infusions, the doctor is able to determine, monitor, and adjust Ketamine treatments specifically for the patient’s needs. With this in mind, doctors strictly recommend that people do not self-medicate with Ketamine. Ketamine is a groundbreaking drug with many proven benefits, but it’s always safest, most effective, and most beneficial under the eye of a doctor.
Here at Virginia Infusion Therapies, we pride ourselves on putting our patient’s safety and well-being first. To read more about how we offer the best quality Ketamine treatments for our patients, read here.
FACT: Ketamine Treatments Have Been Used In The Battlefield.
As early as the 1970s, battlefield medics and doctors have been using Ketamine as an analgesic (pain relieving) drug to treat soldiers who’ve suffered from intense injury, severe pains, and emergency operations. Even to this day, the US Special Forces uses Ketamine as an effective, safe, and easily-administered drug all over the world to treat war injuries. To read more about Ketamine in the battlefield, click here.
FACT: Ketamine is an effective treatment for chronic pain.
Chronic pain doesn’t have to be a life-stopper anymore — the chemicals in Ketamine (N-methyl-D-asparte, or NMDA) blocks pain receptors in the nervous system, providing relief from persistent suffering. Since Ketamine targets specific receptors, it doesn’t work for all types of pain, but it has been proven to work for pain associated with cancer treatments, phantom pains, sickle cell disease, spinal injuries, migraines, and more. With over 2/3rds of Ketamine patients saying their chronic pain improves more and more after every treatment, it’s truly a life-changing therapy. If you’re curious to know whether ketamine treatments can help you with your chronic pain, contact us for a consultation! We’d love to help.
MYTH: Ketamine Treatment Hurts.
Ketamine treatments are administered via IV infusion, so there is no pain. In fact, the greatest “pain” that patients report is pre-infusion nervousness, and needle-anxiety. If needles make you nervous, feel free to bring along some headphones and relaxing tunes to help you relax. Our board certified Physicians will be monitoring you and caring for you during your treatment to keep you in tip-top shape!
Afterwards, you may feel a bit loopy, although reaction varies from patient to patient.
MYTH: Ketamine Treatments Will Solve Any Mental Health Issue.
Ketamine is a revolutionary drug that can address various mental health struggles such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, alcoholism, tourettes, bipolar, and more — but not all mental health struggles can (and should be) treated with Ketamine. For example, Ketamine can be very effective treating schizophrenic patients and helping them control their symptoms. However, depending on the symptoms, some patients would not benefit from Ketamine infusions. On the other hand, most patients who struggle with chronic depression, bipolar, and tourettes can almost always find groundbreaking help with Ketamine treatments.
Mental health struggles vary from person to person, which is why it’s very important to talk with your doctor and a Ketamine administrator to know what treatments will be best for you.
FACT: Ketamine Treatments Change Your Brain.
While “changing your brain” sounds scary, it’s actually super beneficial and absolutely critical for patients who are struggling with chronic pain and mental health issues. Ketamine “rewires” the brain to help strengthen and create neuron connections. For example, patients who experience depression, feel this manifested through strengthened better thoughts — however, it’s important to keep in mind that Ketamine isn’t magic, the patient needs to help strengthen the neurons and create positive mental pathways for the best results.
To read about a patient’s experience with Ketamine, read here!
