Chronic Pain Specialist

What is chronic pain?

Everyone experiences pain sometimes. Pain is your body’s way of alerting you of an injury or other problem. 

However, chronic pain can persist for months or years after the initial cause is gone. Even after periods of temporary relief or attempts at treatment, chronic pain may keep coming back.

Dealing with chronic pain has a negative effect on all aspects of your life and can prevent you from performing everyday activities. Dr. Ghelber offers ketamine infusion therapy to cure chronic pain so you can return to your normal life.

What causes chronic pain?

Chronic pain may result from a wide range of causes, from muscle strains to medical conditions like fibromyalgia or cancer. 

Sometimes, there’s no clear underlying cause of chronic pain. When this occurs, it’s called psychogenic pain. 

However, psychogenic doesn’t mean the pain is all in your head. This pain is very real and may be related to psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety, and depression. 

How can a psychiatrist help with chronic pain?

When it comes to mental health, most people think of emotional or psychological symptoms. However, a wealth of research shows a strong relationship between mental health and chronic pain. 

If you have a mental health condition, such as major depressive disorder, your chronic pain may be a physical (somatic) symptom. 

Even if you don’t have a clinical psychological disorder, living with chronic pain has a detrimental effect on your mood and emotional well-being. Dr. Ghelber works with you to create an individualized plan for pain relief. This may include ketamine infusion therapy. 

What is ketamine infusion therapy?

Ketamine infusion therapy is a novel treatment that’s currently being investigated for uses with major depression. Ketamine is an anesthetic medication that acts on your brain’s glutamatergic system. This system is involved in both depression and chronic pain.  

You receive the ketamine intravenously while you relax in the office at the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry. The infusion only takes about 40 minutes, but you need to stay at the office for 2-4 hours afterward and must have someone else drive you home. 

Although you may experience pain relief after the first treatment, multiple treatments over the course of four weeks are usually necessary. 

To find out if ketamine can cure your chronic pain, call the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry today.