If you suffer from chronic pain, chances are you’ve considered any available option to help ease the discomfort you live with every day, including opioids. Opioids such as OxyContin are often prescribed as short-term solutions for postoperative pain, but their highly addictive nature makes them unsuitable for treating long-term pain. Nonetheless, many people do rely on opioids for chronic pain—a dangerous decision that can lead to tragic consequences. Alternatives such as ketamine for chronic pain can provide relief without any negative outcomes.
Opioids for Pain
Opioids are typically prescribed for acute pain, such as an injury, infection, or surgery. They are very effective at relieving pain, but they come with serious risks such as addiction and possible overdose. Because your body develops a tolerance for opioids the more you use them, continued usage will lead to higher and higher doses—and an increased degree of danger. In fact, in recent years, opioid addiction has become a national crisis, with nearly 645,000 Americans dying of an overdose between 1999 and 2021.
Luckily, pain, whether it be acute or chronic, can be treated without opioids. For acute pain, options include over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen, acupuncture or massage, the application of heat or ice, or other forms of treatment. The body has an amazing capacity to heal itself and acute pain will often go away quickly. For chronic pain, these treatments can also prove effective, but other options may be better to ensure long-term results.
Ketamine for Chronic Pain
One great option for chronic pain treatment is ketamine infusion therapy. In this safe and innovative treatment, a trained medical professional administers a dose of ketamine intravenously to the patient. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, which means that it helps target pain while leading to a sense of dissociation in the patient that can help them feel removed from their painful body. Ketamine infusion is used for the treatment of a wide variety of ailments, including chronic pain, depression, and anxiety.
Contact Ketamine Greater Boston
If you have any questions about ketamine for chronic pain, do not hesitate to contact the professionals at Ketamine Greater Boston. Fill out the form below to get started feeling better today!
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