Fibromyalgia has long been one of the most misunderstood chronic pain conditions. The fact that fibromyalgia can be difficult to diagnose and challenging to treat can make it easy to become discouraged.
If you or someone you love has fibromyalgia, don’t lose hope! Refuse to settle for skeptical healthcare providers or subpar treatment. You deserve effective fibromyalgia treatment and pain relief—and you will find it at Quest Ketamine Therapies!
Quest Ketamine Therapies is proud to offer ketamine infusion therapy for fibromyalgia pain relief. This article answers common questions about treating fibromyalgia with ketamine infusions, and explores the benefits of this innovative treatment.
What Are the Options for Treating Fibromyalgia Pain?
Traditionally, fibromyalgia patients have been pointed towards over-the-counter pain relievers and NSAIDs. Finding effective and compassionate care for fibromyalgia pain can be challenging, unfortunately. Many health care providers aren’t as knowledgeable as they should be about this complex condition or even skeptical about it and chronic pain in general.
Health care providers who are more well-informed about fibromyalgia may recommend physical or occupational therapy. Many will prescribe antidepressants like duloxetine (Cymbalta) and milnacipran (Savella), which can ease some of the pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia. Seizure medicines like gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica) are also prescribed. Opioid painkillers, like hydrocodone or tramadol (Ultram), are also sometimes prescribed, though less often, as they cause addiction and dependence.
Unfortunately, these options don’t always provide sufficient relief or have unwanted side effects.
This predicament is what makes ketamine such an attractive option for fibromyalgia pain relief. Ketamine has proven effective in relieving chronic pain from a wide range of conditions, and fibromyalgia is among them.
How is fibromyalgia pain treated?
- Ketamine therapy for fibromyalgia
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Over-the-counter painkillers and NSAIDs, like naproxen sodium (Aleve)
- Antidepressants like duloxetine (Cymbalta) and milnacipran (Savella)
- Seizure medicines like gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica)
- Opioid painkillers, like hydrocodone or tramadol (Ultram)
Why is Ketamine So Effective at Relieving Fibromyalgia Pain?
Ketamine is effective at treating fibromyalgia pain for several reasons. One of the key reasons is that ketamine therapy provides fibromyalgia pain relief through different biochemical pathways than conventional opioid painkillers, and without the same risk of tolerance or addiction.
Ketamine treatment often proves a better option than antidepressants or seizure medications for many people, because its action as an NMDA receptor antagonist is unlike anything else. Intravenous ketamine infusions are fast-acting and often deliver relief when other medications have either ceased to be effective or never were in the first place.
How Ketamine Rapidly Reduces Fibromyalgia Pain
Because ketamine infusions are delivered intravenously in an outpatient clinic, they begin to work in minutes. Unlike tablets or capsules that must travel through the digestive system, ketamine enters the bloodstream directly.
Ketamine’s unique mechanism of action blocks N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, reducing pain and sensitivity. Ketamine infusions also work on certain opioid receptors, but without causing addiction or dependence. Ketamine also has novel anti-inflammatory effects via interactions with several other brain receptors.
We are still learning why ketamine infusions are often effective for chronic pain in ways that other medicines are not, but we do know NMDA receptors also play a role in neuroplasticity. It is also believed that by blocking the effects of central sensitization at the receptor site, ketamine may help “retrain the brain” away from the chronic pain response.
Here’s how ketamine can quickly reduce fibromyalgia pain and provide lasting relief:
- Ketamine works, in part, by blocking the action of NMDA receptors in the brain.
- Anti-inflammatory effects are also provided by ketamine’s direct effect on the brain.
- Inflammation is a common cause of chronic pain — controlling it is a must.
- Ketamine is also believed to help “retrain” the brain over time, which may also help relieve chronic pain.
What Can I Expect From Ketamine Infusions for Fibromyalgia?
Every individual’s biology is a little different, and fibromyalgia symptoms differ from person to person. However, in clinical studies, ketamine infusions have been shown to provide significant relief (greater than 50%) for the majority of participants.
If your current fibromyalgia treatment is failing to provide sufficient pain relief, it is worth exploring ketamine infusion therapy as an alternative or as an addition to your current pain management regime. Be sure to tell your clinician at Quest Ketamine Therapies about any medications or other medical treatment you currently receive, and provide up-to-date medical records, if possible.
Receiving ketamine infusions at an outpatient clinic is convenient, safe, and easy. Quest Ketamine Therapies provides a safe, comfortable, and medically monitored environment. Most clients find the experience quite relaxing, and the pain-relieving effects can be lasting.
Real Relief from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain
Most people with fibromyalgia will start their journey toward relief by trying over-the-counter pain medicines, physical therapy, and prescription medications. Some with milder cases find diet and exercise changes alone work for them.
However, many fibromyalgia sufferers discover that more conventional treatments don’t provide sufficient relief—-or that they lose effectiveness over time. These people are usually the best candidates to try ketamine therapy for fibromyalgia, either as part of a larger pain management plan or a stand-alone solution.
Ketamine therapy is safe and has been used in medical settings for decades. The simplest way to determine if ketamine may be a good fit for you is to schedule a consultation with Quest Ketamine Therapies. Our free 15-minute consultation is done over the phone for your convenience.
If you’d like to contact us directly, you can email us at info@questketamineclinics.com, call (425) 654-5433, or text us at (206) 589-5958. Be sure to leave your name, contact information, and the best time(s) for us to reach you. We look forward to helping you along your healing journey!
