If you are living with a long-term condition such as depression, anxiety, or chronic pain, you have probably tried different medications. However, sometimes drugs are ineffective at controlling mood disorders and chronic pain symptoms, leaving you hopeless. Fortunately, your Spring TX ketamine infusion clinic offers a promising alternative – ketamine infusion, to control symptoms of various mood disorders, including anxiety, depression, and postpartum depression. Read on to learn the different benefits that ketamine therapy offers.
Rapid antidepressant effects
An impairment in neuroplasticity is one of the potential reasons why you may experience depressive symptoms. Neuroplasticity, or neural plasticity, is the ability of your brain’s neural networks to form and reorganize synaptic connections, usually in response to experiencing an injury. When your brain can’t rewire to function differently, depressive symptoms become more persistent. But ketamine therapy increases glutamate transmission, helping neurons communicate along new pathways; this results in increased neural plasticity. As a result of these new connections, you experienced an improved mood and a change in your thought patterns. The change happens so fast, unlike typical antidepressants, which need weeks to build up in your body and start working.
Minimal side effects
One of the most interesting positive outcomes of ketamine infusion is that it is associated with minor short-term side effects and no known long-term side effects. During the treatment, you may experience dissociative effects, which many describe as pleasant or relaxing. You may also experience nausea, but your doctor can administer medication to reduce or eliminate this side effect. It is normal to feel fatigued afterward, so you want to take it easy. Your doctor may advise you to avoid driving and rest the rest of the day. The effects of ketamine therapy are mild and fewer compared to antidepressant medications, which include dizziness, weight gain, constipation, reduced sex drive, and insomnia.
Long-lasting relief
When treating mood disorders like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, ketamine is highly effective compared to other treatments. Most patients enjoy lasting relief after treatment, which typically involves six infusions over two weeks. You are likely to experience symptom relief for three to four months. The results vary between patients since, for some, the relief may last longer; this is especially true if you follow the aftercare plan as recommended by your doctor.
Reduced reliance on pain medications
Besides being a highly effective treatment for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, ketamine can relieve complex regional pain syndrome and chronic pain. These conditions result from significantly increasing pain signals sent within your body. Ketamine therapy addresses this by blocking excessive pain signals; more specifically, it blocks NMDA receptors of peripheral nerves. As such, you no longer need narcotic painkillers, which have an increased risk of tolerance and complications with long-term use.
Ketamine infusion therapy is well-tolerated by many but some factors may hinder you from getting this treatment. For example, your doctor may recommend against this therapy if you have schizophrenia or uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Ketamine may be a fast-acting and highly effective treatment for your mood disorders or pain. To determine if ketamine infusion therapy is appropriate, consult your doctor at Rejuvenate IV Therapy.