What Is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a Schedule III drug that is available in the form of an intramuscular injection, IV infusions, pills and a

nasal spray. When ketamine is used to treat chronic pain, migraines and other issues, it is usually administered as an

infusion given through an IV. During a ketamine infusion, medical professionals will typically be present to monitor

the patient for any complications.

The FDA has approved ketamine for use as an anesthetic, as well as for pain control. However, since its discovery,

studies and anecdotal reports have shown that ketamine may also be useful for other purposes in lower doses. Some

of the other conditions ketamine may be able to treat effectively include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder,

post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, as well as chronic pain syndromes including reflex simplex dystrophy,

fibromyalgia and central sensitization syndrome. In addition, ketamine may be able to reduce the pain associated

with migraine headaches.

Ketamine and Migraines

There are a variety of studies have shown success with ketamine in providing pain relief for migraine sufferers.

Given these results, it’s worth asking why ketamine has been successful in treating some migraine pain. We do know

that ketamine acts on a certain type of receptor in the brain called the NMDA receptor. The NMDA receptor is

responsible for the body's underlying neural network (similar to a computer network) and its ability to process pain

signals to the central nervous system. Over-activation of this receptor can result in excitotoxicity, resulting in a

myriad of pain disorders. Ketamine is thought to correct this over-activation by blocking the NMDA receptor.

At this time, the FDA has not approved ketamine for the treatment of any of these conditions. Thus, using ketamine

to treat these issues is considered an “off-label” use of the drug. As a result, most health insurance companies will

refuse to pay for ketamine infusions when they are being used to treat migraines, and thus cost is usually out of

pocket.

After a provider orders and suggests Ketamine as a treatment for your migraines, you will receive a call from the

Ketamine Clinic to go over all aspects of treatment. The number of ketamine treatments can vary based on each

patient’s specific migraine profile. Treatments usually vary from one to six treatments.