Ketamine Infusion Therapy Offers New Option for Chronic Pain Patients

Millions of Americans manage chronic pain, a condition often described as aching, burning, or throbbing. For patients who find traditional methods ineffective, ketamine infusion therapy is emerging as a potential alternative. The treatment works by slowing down pain-sensing nerves that transmit signals to the brain.

Elanor Koch from Nebraska began the therapy at Mind and Body Wellness Center in 2023. Her journey to treatment began in 2020 when doctors discovered a tumor on her cervical spine. The growth had compressed her spinal cord by more than 60%. After undergoing neck fusion surgery, Koch relearned how to walk and use her left arm. Despite the procedure, she continued to experience debilitating pain that limited her daily activities.

Koch described her life before the infusion as a cycle of waking in pain and pushing herself until she suffered a flare-up that kept her in bed for days. She noted that opioid therapy did not feel like a safe long-term solution, and other alternative pain-management options had failed to provide relief.

The ketamine sessions last about one hour. During this time, patients experience dissociation, a state where they are not fully aware of their physical body. Koch said she found a new perspective on her condition during these sessions. After receiving six treatments over the course of one month, she reported being largely pain-free for the next three months. While she still had minor flares, they were infrequent and short-lived.

The cost of the treatment remains a major barrier for many patients. Each infusion session costs between $400 and $500, and insurance typically does not cover the expense because the treatment is used off-label. Dr. Stephen Salzbrenner at Nebraska Medicine said the price keeps more people from accessing the therapy. He noted that while the scientific community widely accepts its effectiveness, the lack of FDA approval for depression means insurance coverage is rare.

Salzbrenner also offers an FDA-approved alternative called esketamine, a nasal spray chemically related to ketamine. Unlike the infusion, esketamine is accepted by insurance for depression. Salzbrenner emphasized that medication must be combined with talk therapy for the best results. He stated that therapy is indispensable because it cannot be replicated by medicine alone.

Koch follows this approach, working with both a psychiatrist and a talk therapist. She has stopped taking antidepressant medications and said she would recommend the treatment to others. However, ketamine infusion is not suitable for everyone. Patients with certain medical histories, such as schizophrenia, uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, or substance use disorders, may not be good candidates for the therapy.