Ketamine research also suggests it has pain relieving qualities1 . A 2004 study analyzed the case notes of 33 patients diagnosed with pain in the arms and legs as a result of an injury known as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and treated by subanesthetic intravenous ketamine2 . Most received one treatment, one-third of participants received two treatments, and two patients received three treatments. Findings showed that after the first dose of ketamine, 76 percent of patients reported complete pain relief, with 54 percent remaining pain free for more than three months. For the 12 patients that were administered a second dose, all reported complete pain relief, with 58 percent remaining pain free for more than a year. Feeling inebriated was the most common side effect, followed by reports of lightheadedness, dizziness, and nausea. Four patients showed alterations in liver function profiles which resolved with termination of treatment.
This has implications for ketamine as a mental health treatment as well. While pain conditions are not mental health conditions, studies suggest that those suffering from chronic pain are four times more likely to have depression or anxiety than those who are pain-free.
