Treating Painful Limb Ischemia with Ketamine Therapy

About Painful Limb Ischemia

According to the Cleveland Clinic, when blood flow is blocked so severely that one or more of your hands, legs, or feet die, you have critical limb ischemia. Extreme discomfort, numbness, and slow-healing sores can result. It’s a terrible illness that can lead to heart problems, lost limbs, and even death.

The most severe form of peripheral artery disease is known as critical limb ischemia (PAD). Plaque (atherosclerotic plaque) is a fatty substance that builds up inside your arteries and obstructs blood flow, leading to PAD. Reduced blood flow makes it more difficult for muscles and other tissues to recover from injury or stay strong. Chronic limb-threatening ischemia is another name for critical limb ischemia.

Vasculitis and other autoimmune disorders have also been linked to painful limb ischemia. Although the legs are the most common sites of ischemia, the arms and glutes are not immune to the condition. The tissue loss, ulceration, and poor tissue perfusion associated with severe ischemia, such as critical limb ischemia, are associated with persistent and severe ischaemic pain, also known as rest pain. Age (men over 60 and women after menopause), smoking, diabetes, excess weight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inactivity, and a family history of vascular disease all increase the likelihood of developing the disease.

Ketamine Therapy for Painful Limb Ischemia

Traditional medical options for treating ischemic leg pain include enhancing perfusion with surgical or endovascular treatment. However, in some cases, due to extensive tissue loss or an inability to successfully reconstruct the region, such treatment is not possible, leading to ongoing discomfort. However, if the pain can be managed in some other way, amputation can be postponed or even avoided. We have a tried and true solution in ketamine infusions for patients with chronic pain who are looking for an all-natural, patient-centered approach to relieving their symptoms.

An individualized, multidisciplinary strategy is optimal for treating chronic pain. Patients with opioid tolerance, acute hyperalgesia, and chronic neuropathic pain have all benefited from ketamine infusion therapy, making it a common treatment option. With a focus on syndromes with neuropathic components, ketamine treatment is widely used for painful limb ischemia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and other neuropathic pain conditions. In the brain, ketamine acts by binding to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and preventing them from sending signals to other areas. This aids in repairing nerve fibers that were severed due to limb ischemia. Depending on the patient’s individual body and brain chemistry, ketamine infusions may be used in conjunction with other medications and treatments.

Find a Florida Ketamine Doctor Near Me

Painful limb ischemia is just one of the many painful conditions that can be effectively treated at our ketamine infusion clinics in Florida. In order to heal and recover from their conditions, patients receive individualized, compassionate care throughout their treatments. Contact our clinic today if you’re experiencing severe, ongoing pain to learn more about ketamine infusion for chronic pain syndromes.