KETAMINE
THERAPY
What is Ketamine
Ketamine is a strong anesthetic that prevents the brain from receiving pain messages from your peripheral nerves, located throughout the body, and is used in clinical settings ranging from surgical sedation to treatment of chronic pain. Promising studies are showing that Ketamine also possesses anti-inflammatory properties.
Ketamine affects the chemical messengers in your brain, known as neurotransmitters, which then affect your mood. This can be used to help stabilize the hormone imbalances that cause certain mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bi-polar disorder.
What is Ketamine Therapy
Ketamine therapy requires an infusion delivered through an IV into the bloodstream or through a series of intra-muscular injections to relieve treatment-resistant chronic pain or mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety. It’s an effective alternative to invasive surgical procedures and medications.
We begin every patient’s care with the least invasive methods and progress as needed. Based on your individual symptoms, we may start off with Ketamine, physical therapy or oral medication. From there, we will explore the possibilities of injectable treatments such as epidural injections, joint injections, or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
Is Ketamine Covered by Insurance
Apex Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is one of the few places that offers Ketamine Therapy covered through all insurances including Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and VA as well as commercial insurance carriers like Blue Cross Blue Shield/Anthem, United Healthcare, Cigna, and Humana along with many others. Learn more about our accepted insurance providers here.
What Happens During the Procedure
Ketamine Therapy is an in-office procedure that takes roughly an hour and a half. You may receive IV Ketamine or intra-muscular Ketamine depending on your condition and insurance carrier.
During the treatment, you can relax, read a book, or scroll on your personal device. Once completed, the staff will ask that you stay for a little while to be monitored to ensure your body is reacting well to the Ketamine. After receiving Ketamine you must have a driver to safely take you home. You will not be able to drive home from any of your Ketamine appointments so please plan to have a driver arranged. Medical transport companies are also an option for your transportation needs. For optimal results, Ketamine treatments are administered at specific intervals that your provider will discuss with you.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER
At APEX Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, board-certified physician John H. Bissell, M.D., provides a wide variety of treatments for pain management that not only relieves your symptoms but improves the overall health of your afflicted area. If you're struggling to identify the cause and manage your pain, call us to set up an appointment.