Ketamine Infusion Therapy Oxnard

Ketamine Infusion Treatment in Oxnard

Contemporary lives are filled with stress, anxiety, and depression. Although some people are capable of dealing with these issues on their own, many cases require additional help as these psychological conditions can be severe.

Fortunately, the development of ketamine infusion therapy has helped thousands of patients improve their conditions.

Moreover, the treatment provides long-lasting results that allow the patients to enjoy their lives to the fullest.

Relax your mind and get rid of depression with ketamine infusion therapy in Oxnard

Our doctors are trained to provide therapeutic doses of ketamine to patients suffering from depression, crippling anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain.

We deliver the treatment in a comfortable office where you can relax while the medication takes effect.

Furthermore, our emphatic personnel can help you feel safe and at ease.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is a drug that many doctors use during surgical procedures for its anesthetic effect.

Although the FDA approved ketamine as anesthesia, it is currently being used off-label to treat mental health conditions. This advantage is due to the side effects it causes on the brain and the interactions between neurons.

Therefore, ketamine infusion therapy provides the drug to the patient directly into the bloodstream through an IV injection. As a result, it allows the drug to reach the brain quickly and provide its therapeutic effect faster than conventional antidepressants and mood enhancers.

Ketamine provides both quick symptom relief and long-lasting results. Therefore, turning it into a great treatment option for people with mental health issues.  Nonetheless, it is usually not used as the first treatment option. Instead, this treatment is often reserved for patients who haven’t experienced any improvement with conventional methods.

What is the science behind ketamine infusion therapy?

Ketamine has a direct effect on the brain’s glutamate. This is an essential neurotransmitter that regulates a person’s mood.

These neurotransmitters allow the information to travel across each neuron in the brain. However, when people suffer from mental health conditions, the way this information travels can be compromised.

To prevent this, ketamine blocks some NMDA receptors in the brain. Usually, these receptors interact with glutamate. However, when they get blocked by ketamine, glutamate is forced to enhance its activity a create new pathways between neurons to transmit information.

As a result of this enhanced activity, the person’s mood improves, and the symptoms of depression ease.

What to expect when attending a ketamine infusion therapy session?

Ketamine infusion therapy is a fairly quick and straightforward procedure.

The consultation begins with a medical history revision and the patient’s symptoms evaluation. During this stage, the doctor listens carefully to the patient as he explains the situation. This phase helps them to determine the right treatment option and the dose. Furthermore, the doctor also considers the age, weight, and case severity to help determine the appropriate ketamine dose for the patient.

Once everything regarding the treatment is explained, the doctor can proceed to deliver the drug. This is done in a straightforward and calm environment that helps the patient relax.

Although most times the therapy takes place on a different appointment from the initial consultation, some patients with life-threatening conditions might require to undergo the therapy immediately.

Ketamine is slowly administered through an IV and can take up to an hour for the entire dose to be delivered. During this time, it is common to feel light and mellow. Nonetheless, the drug doesn’t affect the brain’s awareness. Therefore, the brain remains active and behaves normally during the treatment.

After the entire dose has been delivered, the patients are expected to remain in the office for a while. This can range from a few minutes to an hour. This is done to ensure the patient’s safety and monitor the vitals and any possible side effects. The light and mellow sensation usually fade after a few minutes from the moment the treatment is completed.

In what cases is ketamine used?

Ketamine is mainly used in treatment-resistant depression. This is due to its powerful effect on glutamate.

Nonetheless, it can also treat different mental health conditions, such as:

• PTSD
• Anxiety
• Acute suicidality
• Bipolar
• Postpartum Depression

It has been reported that ketamine has helped bipolar patients maintain stable mental conditions. The improvement in glutamate function prevents mood drifts and eases manic and depressive episodes. Furthermore, ketamine infusion therapy can ease chronic pain caused by neuronal injuries, such as fibromyalgia and phantom limb pain.

How long until I can experience the benefits?

Every person reacts differently to the treatment. Therefore, some patients experience symptom relief earlier than others.

The dose, the severity of the condition, and how the brain reacts to ketamine might play a role in how fast the drug takes effect. Nonetheless, most people manifest mood improvement after 1 or 2 days. This effect can last for a few weeks. However, some patients have reported the benefits to last up to a month.

Additionally, on some occasions, the effect is almost immediate. Some people might experience the treatment benefits after just a few hours. However, this is not always the case.

Is the treatment painful?

Since ketamine is administered through an IV injection, patients tend to feel a pinch when the needle penetrates the skin. However, the treatment is not painful and doesn’t cause any discomfort.

After the initial pinch, the drug begins dripping slowly, and a mellow sensation takes place. Once this occurs, there are no other unpleasant sensations.

Is ketamine dangerous or addictive?

Ketamine is entirely safe as long as the right dose is administered by a trained professional. This decreases the risk of complications or negative side effects.

Nonetheless, it can interact with benzodiazepines and interfere with the treatment effectiveness. Therefore, patients taking this medication should consult their doctors before undergoing ketamine therapy.

Fortunately, ketamine doesn’t cause addiction or dependence. This is due to the dose used in the treatment and how it is slowly administered.

Visit us at Younique in Oxnard and improve your mental health through ketamine infusion therapy.

Medically Reviewed by Mark Youssef, MD 5 stars from 150 reviews