Ketamine is an anaesthetic used in general anaesthesia for selected circumstances, but it has some unique properties. When administered at doses lower than those required for anaesthesia, it can produce a profound analgesic response, making it useful for managing acute pain in emergency settings, such as burn or fracture pain. What’s particularly notable about ketamine is its effectiveness in treating nerve pain, or neuropathic pain, when given as an intravenous injection or continuous low-dose infusion.
In certain cases, patients experiencing escalating neuropathic pain may be admitted to the hospital for several days to receive a controlled ketamine infusion through a vein. This allows for a gradual increase in dosage to help manage their pain more effectively. While ongoing research is helping us better understand who benefits most from this treatment and for how long, we have seen improvements that can last for weeks, and in some cases, months.
It’s important to clarify, however, that ketamine is not a cure for chronic pain. It can be beneficial in specific instances where there’s a significant flare-up of neuropathic pain, but it’s not a comprehensive solution. Additionally, ketamine is being explored in the field of psychiatry, particularly for its potential in treating depression and suicidal ideation. Although I’m not an expert in this area, it's worth noting that ongoing clinical trials are showing promise, and some psychiatrists are already utilising it in select cases.
Whether ketamine is being used for chronic pain or psychiatric conditions, it’s essential to remember that it works for only a subset of patients. In medicine, we refer to something called the "number needed to treat," which indicates how many patients need to be treated with a particular drug for one to experience significant benefits beyond the placebo effect. For ketamine, we are still determining this number, but it is likely around six—similar to other analgesic drugs we use.
If you’d like to learn more about ketamine and whether it may be an appropriate treatment option for you, it’s best to consult your pain specialist. They can provide detailed information and discuss whether ketamine or another treatment might be better suited to your condition.
If you have any questions, please contact us at: https://hunterpainspecialists.com.au/contact