Ketamine Therapy for Chronic Cancer Pain
Chronic cancer pain can be a debilitating condition that can affect all aspect of an individuals’ life. Ketamine treatment for chronic cancer pain can be especially successful if pain is neuropathic in nature.
Symptoms of Chronic Cancer Pain
Cancer pain can be debilitating. It is usually
caused by cancer cells invading nerve plexus and peripheral nerves and damaging them. The pain can be moderate to severe and constant. The pain can be qualified as burning, aching, sharp and shooting, dull, constant or intermittent. The pain is usually not relived by over the counter or opioid based medications and progresses.
Chronic caner pain can lead to depression as patients might be limited in the activities that they can perform including mobility and social interactions. The depression can then lead to loss of sleep and changes in appetite and suicidal ideation. Chronic cancer pain can also lead to anxiety and stress that could lead to adrenal gland fatigue.
Traditional Treatments for Chronic Cancer Pain
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Traditional treatment for chronic cancer pain are opioids, nerve stimulators, NSAIDs, steroid injections and nerve blocks. None of these modalities help treat the cause of pain as they are mainly aimed at treating and masking the symptoms. Many of these other modalities have their own side effects which are unpleasant and can sometimes leave individuals unable to enjoy social interactions or physical activities. In addition to helping with chronic pain ketamine can help with treating the depression and anxiety that often develop with a cancer diagnosis.
How Ketamine Treats Chronic Cancer Pain
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Ketamine treatment for chronic pain can be extremely effective if the pain is neuropathic in nature such as cancer pain. Ketamine works by binding to the NMDA receptor. This receptor modulates a neurotransmitter called glutamate. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that promotes pain signaling from one neuron to the next and when too much glutamate is circulating in your nervous system it sensitizes the neurons. This all translates to more pain and inflammation.
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Research studies on the efficacy of ketamine in treating chronic cancer pain are showing that about 80% of patient will have a 50% reduction in pain with ketamine treatment.
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Ketamine treatment for chronic cancer pain is an innovative treatment option. It helps treat the cause of pain vs. the symptoms of pain and thus can achieve a better outcome without being dependent on pills every day.
Why Choose Ketamine Therapy for Chronic Cancer Pain
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Ketamine treatment for chronic cancer pain gets at the root cause of the chronic pain by decreasing inflammation and resetting the pain signals and neurocircuitry.
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Ketamine treatment for chronic cancer pain can help patients decrease their reliance on opiate medications and increase their recreational activities.
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Ketamine treatment for chronic cancer pain can allow patients to become more independent and increase their overall quality of life by treating their mental health along with their chronic pain.