Ketamine for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): What to Expect

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare and complicated chronic pain condition. Early diagnosis and treatment usually lead to better outcomes. 

Unfortunately, because it’s so rare and not well understood, misdiagnosis is common, making it harder to get relief from the severe pain. Ketamine for CRPS is a last-resort treatment when all other interventions fail.

At Amira Integrative Health PC in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, our pain management team offers ketamine infusions for CRPS.

Read on to learn more about CRPS, ketamine, and what to expect when getting ketamine for CRPS. 

About CRPS

CRPS causes pain, increased sensitivity to touch, and changes in skin texture and temperature in specific areas of the body, usually an arm, hand, leg, or foot. The symptoms develop after an injury, surgery, or serious medical event like a heart attack or stroke.

Researchers are still learning about CRPS but theorize the pain occurs from abnormal functioning in the central (brain and spinal cord) or peripheral (extremity) nervous system, amplifying and prolonging pain sensations. 

Doctors should consider a CRPS diagnosis in anyone experiencing severe, unprovoked, or prolonged pain in the extremities. Early diagnosis and treatment helps people with CRPS get better results and faster relief from their pain.

How ketamine for CRPS works

When medical interventions fail to provide pain relief in people with CRPS, doctors may consider ketamine therapy. Ketamine is a general anesthetic that works by blocking N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, stopping the transmission of pain signals. 

Ketamine for CRPS works the same way, blocking NMDA receptors to reduce the severity and duration of the pain sensations. 

Results vary, but ketamine can provide pain relief that lasts a month or more in people with CRPS. 

What to expect

Ketamine therapy for CRPS is an in-office treatment. We customize plans and discuss treatment with you so you know what to expect, adjusting your plan as we go. In general, people receiving ketamine for CRPS come in for treatment every day for up to 10 days. 

We start ketamine infusions at a low dose, increasing until we reach the dose that provides the best relief from pain with the fewest side effects. You may feel sleepy as the dose increases, but the dose is never high enough that you fall asleep. 

You should notice improvements in pain after your first or second session. If ketamine fails to provide relief right away, we may stop treatment. For patients who get results from ketamine, we may repeat treatment about three to six months after the first session.

Initial treatment for CRPS may include medications, lifestyle changes, and a combination of physical and behavioral therapy. When these methods fail to provide pain relief, you may benefit from interventional pain management treatments like nerve blocks or nerve stimulation devices.

If you continue to have CRPS symptoms after trying all other treatments, we can talk to you about ketamine therapy. Call our office today or request an appointment online to get started.