Ketamine For Neuropathic Pain
Pain in patients suffering from central neuropathic pain syndrome can be difficult to treat and detrimental to their physical and mental health. When injured or impacted by disease, the central nervous system transmits sensations to the brain, often resulting in severe, chronic pain within the affected region. For patients with central neuropathic pain, finding successful treatment options can be challenging and result in a substantial degree of distress. There is no specific neuropathic pain treatment deemed successful for curing central neuropathic pain. Central neuropathy can even be unresponsive to treatments that fall under traditional medicine protocols.
Florida Mind Health Center, your trusted ketamine clinic, offers effective and enduring pain treatment for symptoms associated with central neuropathic pain. Contact our clinic today to learn more about our conditions treated with ketamine and to schedule ketamine treatment.
What Is Central Neuropathic Pain?
Central neuropathic pain — commonly referred to as central neuropathic pain syndrome (CNPS), central neuropathy, or central pain syndrome (CPS) — is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder caused by damage to the central nervous system, which includes the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. Central neuropathic pain can occur after a stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord injury. It may also be present in conjunction with certain conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, among many other diseases. Central pain syndrome can present differently in each patient, depending on the area of the nervous system that sustained damage. Chronic pain can be localized in a small area of the body or be widespread. Painful neuropathy often produced sensations characterized as sharp, burning, or like pins and needles, and, for many patients, the pain is constant and unwavering.
Neuropathic Pain Causes
Central neuropathic pain results exclusively from central nervous system dysfunction or injury, including vascular, infectious, demyelinating, traumatic, or neoplastic disorders. It can also result from syrinx formation in the spin cord or brainstem. However, central neuropathic pain is most common as an aftereffect of a stroke (central poststroke pain), multiple sclerosis (MS), or spinal cord injury (SCI). This severe nerve pain can develop months or years after injury or damage to the central nervous system. Central neuropathic pain can be difficult to differentiate from other pain conditions such as musculoskeletal or peripheral neuropathic pain in patients who are neurologically affected as well as those suffering from other pain disorders due to the delayed development of pain associated with central neuropathic pain.
Ketamine Treatment For Neuropathic Pain
Central neuropathic pain can be challenging to treat and may not respond to pharmacological agents typically used for neuropathic pain. Ketamine treatment, however, has been used extensively to successfully treat often intractable neuropathic pain, such as trigeminal neuralgia and central neuropathic pain. During ketamine infusions for pain, ketamine targets and inhibits N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which are integral to the glutamate-binding process that occurs within one of the most prevalent pain centers of the brain, the thalamus. In blocking pain-signal transmissions, this innovative nerve pain treatment allows the brain to restore beneficial neural connections commonly affected by central neuropathic pain, as well as other associated pain conditions. During ketamine infusion therapy, subanesthetic doses are administered over a prolonged period, providing both effective and enduring pain relief. Ketamine can even be combined with other medications to create a balanced therapeutic approach that accommodates each patient’s unique chemistry.
Ketamine Clinic In Gainesville, FL
If you suffer from a pain condition, look no further than our ketamine treatment center. We provide each patient with an individualized treatment plan to ensure they receive the high-quality, comprehensive care they require to recover and heal properly. Florida Mind Health Center offers an encompassing selection of treatments, including ketamine for pain, to accommodate a wide variety of needs. Contact us today to learn more about our available treatments and find out how ketamine infusions from our clinic can benefit your quality of life.