Fibromyalgia is a painful condition that can become chronic over time, compromising the health and quality of life of a person. Unlike common or simple pain conditions, the source of a chronic pain such as fibromyalgia can be very complex or a mysterious issue to unravel. Researchers have not been able to determine the precise causes that may lead to fibromyalgia in some patients.
While some patients may benefit from lifestyle improvements such as a balanced diet, regular exercise and stretching, sleeping well, and taking anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen or undergoing physical therapy, most patients will find it difficult to cope with fibromyalgia pain with these simple approaches.
Ketamine infusion treatments may offer a credible solution in such cases where conventional drugs and therapies have failed to work. The Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles, led by board certified anesthesiologist Dr. Steven L Mandel, provides ketamine IV therapy for fibromyalgia to patients in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, California, and surrounding locations and communities.
Avoiding Side Effects
More than 50 years of use of ketamine as an anesthetic and over two decades of research, no specific instances of long-term side effects of ketamine have been reported. Conventional prescription medications to treat chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia can be addictive, and may cause side effects such as stomach ache, loss of appetite, nausea, respiratory problems, blurred vision, liver damage and ulcers.
A range of injections, steroids, opiates and anti-depressants may only offer very brief relief from the pain, which involving significant costs and producing long-term side effects. If the patients are unable to find relief or feel more uncomfortable due to the side effects, they may consider ketamine infusion treatments as a successful alternative.
Comprehensive Treatment Approach
Although chronic pain may occur due to fibromyalgia, but over a prolonged period of suffering, the problem may acquire an additional psychological dimension. Depression is a common occurrence among patients who are in regular physical discomfort due to conditions such as fibromyalgia. When the patient’s condition has both physiological and psychological aspects, pinning down a single course of treatment cannot be easy.
In such a situation, IV ketamine infusion therapy offers a safe, proven and effective solution. Ketamine can block and reset pain receptors in the brain and balance out pivotal hormones and neurons by altering GABA and glutamate levels. This helps to address both physical and psychological discomfort at the same time, which may have originated due to fibromyalgia.
Customized Treatment
The initial plan of treatment with ketamine infusions will typically include a series of six treatments spread over a period of about two weeks. This intensive therapy will usually offer significant relief from fibromyalgia pain condition as well as any associated symptoms of depression.
The follow-up booster infusions for long-term maintenance and a detailed care plan will be customized to fit the unique needs of a patient.
A customized treatment approach will ensure that each patient receives ketamine treatments in precise, controlled doses as per their needs, and achieves maximum benefit with minimum treatment. Dr. Mandel receives patients from Los Angeles and Beverly Hills and other areas of Southern California for ketamine IV therapy.
For more information about treatments for depression, bipolar, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), fibromyalgia, pain syndromes and other conditions contact us at the Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles in Southern California (Orange County) by clicking here or calling 310-270-0625
