Ketamine is an anaesthetic medicine widely used in pediatric, veterinary and emergency anaesthesia because of its remarkable safety profile. It is so safe that it can be given to infants, or in war zones where costly medical equipment is not available.
It produces a dream-like state in low doses, which has been shown to treat depression, anxiety, PTSD and neuropathic pain conditions like CRPS, Fibromyalgia, Trigeminal neuralgia etc. The relief from these pains stay for a much longer time than the infusion. For example, an infusion of 1 hour may give relief for many days to many weeks. The dream-like state depends on the speed of giving ketamine, it can be very light if ketamine is given very slowly, with a syringe pump.
It works in neuropathic pain by neuromodulation, a resetting of the affected nerves.
The chances of addiction are very low if it is taken as an infusion in a proper clinic, under the observation of a doctor.
Side effects are hallucinations and chances of nausea, but they are limited to the duration of infusion. Long term side effects have been found in only abusers, who take high doses, very frequently.
It is a safe and effective treatment for severe neuropathic pains in which traditional analgesics fail to work or cause unacceptable side effects