Ketamine for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive Review

# Background Chronic pain significantly worsens the quality of life. Unlike neuropathic, musculoskeletal, postoperative pain, and cancer pain, chronic primary pain cannot be explained by an underlying disease or condition, making its treatment arduous. # Objectives This manuscript intends to provid...

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Main Authors: Jacob E. Israel, Samantha St Pierre, Emily Ellis, Josephine S. Hanukaai, Nazir Noor, Giustino Varrassi, Markus Wells, Alan D. Kaye
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Open Medical Publishing 2021-07-01
Series:Health Psychology Research
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.25535
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author Jacob E. Israel
Samantha St Pierre
Emily Ellis
Josephine S. Hanukaai
Nazir Noor
Giustino Varrassi
Markus Wells
Alan D. Kaye
author_facet Jacob E. Israel
Samantha St Pierre
Emily Ellis
Josephine S. Hanukaai
Nazir Noor
Giustino Varrassi
Markus Wells
Alan D. Kaye
author_sort Jacob E. Israel
collection DOAJ
description # Background Chronic pain significantly worsens the quality of life. Unlike neuropathic, musculoskeletal, postoperative pain, and cancer pain, chronic primary pain cannot be explained by an underlying disease or condition, making its treatment arduous. # Objectives This manuscript intends to provide a comprehensive review of the use of ketamine as a treatment option for specific chronic pain conditions. # Study Design A review article. # Setting A review of the literature. # Methods A search was done on PubMed for relevant articles. # Results A comprehensive review of the current understanding of chronic pain and the treatment of specific chronic pain conditions with ketamine. # Limitations Literature is scarce regarding the use of ketamine for the treatment of chronic pain. # Conclusion First-line treatment for many chronic pain conditions includes NSAIDs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and opioids. However, these treatment methods are unsuccessful in a subset of patients. Ketamine has been explored in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as an alternative treatment option, and it has been demonstrated to improve pain symptoms, patient satisfaction, and quality of life. Conditions highlighted in this review include neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), phantom limb pain (PLP), cancer pain, and post-thoracotomy pain syndrome. This review will discuss conditions, such as neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and more and ketamine’s efficacy and its supplementary benefits in the chronic pain patient population. As the opioid crisis in the United States continues to persist, this review aims to understand better multimodal analgesia, which can improve how chronic pain is managed.
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spelling doaj-art-df773f05bf974cbc8ac2141fb1401e8a2025-02-11T20:30:34ZengOpen Medical PublishingHealth Psychology Research2420-81242021-07-0191Ketamine for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive ReviewJacob E. IsraelSamantha St PierreEmily EllisJosephine S. HanukaaiNazir NoorGiustino VarrassiMarkus WellsAlan D. Kaye# Background Chronic pain significantly worsens the quality of life. Unlike neuropathic, musculoskeletal, postoperative pain, and cancer pain, chronic primary pain cannot be explained by an underlying disease or condition, making its treatment arduous. # Objectives This manuscript intends to provide a comprehensive review of the use of ketamine as a treatment option for specific chronic pain conditions. # Study Design A review article. # Setting A review of the literature. # Methods A search was done on PubMed for relevant articles. # Results A comprehensive review of the current understanding of chronic pain and the treatment of specific chronic pain conditions with ketamine. # Limitations Literature is scarce regarding the use of ketamine for the treatment of chronic pain. # Conclusion First-line treatment for many chronic pain conditions includes NSAIDs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and opioids. However, these treatment methods are unsuccessful in a subset of patients. Ketamine has been explored in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as an alternative treatment option, and it has been demonstrated to improve pain symptoms, patient satisfaction, and quality of life. Conditions highlighted in this review include neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), phantom limb pain (PLP), cancer pain, and post-thoracotomy pain syndrome. This review will discuss conditions, such as neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and more and ketamine’s efficacy and its supplementary benefits in the chronic pain patient population. As the opioid crisis in the United States continues to persist, this review aims to understand better multimodal analgesia, which can improve how chronic pain is managed.https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.25535
spellingShingle Jacob E. Israel
Samantha St Pierre
Emily Ellis
Josephine S. Hanukaai
Nazir Noor
Giustino Varrassi
Markus Wells
Alan D. Kaye
Ketamine for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive Review
Health Psychology Research
title Ketamine for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive Review
title_full Ketamine for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive Review
title_fullStr Ketamine for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive Review
title_full_unstemmed Ketamine for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive Review
title_short Ketamine for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive Review
title_sort ketamine for the treatment of chronic pain a comprehensive review
url https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.25535
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