Top Ketamine Clinic in California

Ketamine is a type of medication that is commonly administered by licensed health care providers or veterinarian professionals as a general anesthetic to induce unconsciousness and pain management. It is also occasionally recommended as a treatment for depression. The effects of ketamine on the body will vary depending on the dose, with common effects including people feeling detached or separated from their body or external environment. It is classified as a dissociative medication, which is similar to psychedelics causing changes of consciousness, thoughts, and emotions, as well as hallucinations.

Ketamine has been FDA-approved for use as a general anesthetic for humans and animals for sedation during medical procedures due to its ability to work very quickly and can be combined with other medications. However, it is often used off-label by medical providers for other types of treatment, including pain management for conditions such as migraines, various types of chronic pain, burns, and pain associated with cancer. Ketamine has also more recently started to be used to support the treatment of substance use disorders, including opioid, cocaine, and alcohol use disorders. It is also proven to be beneficial for the treatment of mental health conditions.

For several years now, ketamine has become an effective medication for mental health care, proving to be particularly effective for mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation. It is used in place of anti-depressants due to its ability to work much faster, providing substantial benefits within two hours after being taken, whereas anti-depressants will often take multiple weeks to provide the same advantages. Other mental health conditions that are currently being regularly treated through the use of ketamine include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, treatment-resistant depression, and anhedonia (reduced interest in activities, interpersonal relationships, and social situations). The FDA has approved a form of ketamine which is a nasal spray as an effective treatment for treatment-resistant depression, with other forms of ketamine currently being studied for similar types of treatment.

As with all medications, ketamine therapy does come with some side effects that will vary depending on how the medication is used, the age of the patient, the dosage that is provided, as well as any other medications the patient is taking or health conditions they may have. When provided by qualified medical personnel in a safe and controlled environment, the risk of experiencing side effects is substantially reduced, so ketamine must be only taken as per the recommendations of a licensed healthcare provider. Potential side effects of ketamine therapy include:

• Dizziness
• Muscle stiffness or spasms
• Vomiting or nausea
• Difficult, painful, or frequent urination
• Seizures
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Hallucinations
• Addiction
• Heart problems such as slow heart rate, high blood pressure, or more severe problems such as heart failure or cardiac arrest
• Confusion
• Eye problems
• Difficulty breathing
• Allergy symptoms include swelling of the face, lips, or tongue, or rashes

Ketamine is a medication that is commonly used recreationally or is abused due to its addictive nature, in which case the side effects will be far more likely and severe.

The Bay Area Ketamine Center is a highly qualified medical center that provides safe and effective ketamine therapies to treat a variety of health conditions. If you are considering ketamine infusion therapy for the treatment of mental health conditions, substance abuse disorders, or chronic pain management, our experienced team is led by board-certified anesthesiologist Dr. Paul Wender, M.D. provides high quality care that is catered to suit the needs of each patient. Our clinic is top-rated to ensure that all treatments are deemed safe and effective for each patient. We serve patients from Los Altos, CA, Sunnyvale CA, Palo Alto CA, Stanford CA, Atherton CA, Cupertino CA, and nearby areas.