Migraines

What are Migraine Headaches?

Migraine Symptoms

Migraine headaches will often be characterized by throbbing, recurrent, moderate to severe head pain. However, a whole constellation of symptoms can be generated by migraines, including nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, dizziness, sensitivity to light, sound, touch, and smell, and tingling of extremities and the face. Onset can be swift, and duration can be 4 – 72 hours.

Does Ketamine Really Help With Migraines?

There are some hospital in-patient services and hospital emergency rooms that have employed ketamine infusions for several years to treat intractable migraine headaches. Recently, Dr. Eric Schwenk, the Director of Orthopedic Anesthesia at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, and colleagues completed a retrospective study to ascertain the effectiveness of ketamine in this population.

All sixty-one patients studied received daily low-dose ketamine infusions for three to seven consecutive days. Almost 75 percent of the patients experienced an improvement in their migraine intensity. On a scale of 0 – 10, the average migraine headache pain rating at admission was 7.5, compared to 3.4 on discharge. The average infusion was 5.1 consecutive days. The infusion day with the lowest average pain rating was day 4.

This study’s focus was on short-term relief. The author is encouraged by the potential for ketamine infusions to provide long-term relief.

Is Ketamine for Migraines Right for You?

Interested in learning more about ketamine infusions for migraine headaches? 

If you are considered treatment-resistant with chronic mood or pain conditions (by failing two or more therapeutic measures, i.e., therapy and/or medicative) you would be applicable for a “New Client Consultation” lasting approximately 60 minutes with a provider. We are able to accept insurance for this appointment.