Which Type of Ketamine Treatment is Right for Me?

When I started providing iv therapy to my patients, there were all but a few dozen clinics spread across the U.S. and predominantly serving large metro areas. Many patients justified the expense of flying in for their treatments from other parts of the country due to the efficacy of the therapy. Fast forward to today and these large metro cities often house several competing infusion clinics. Better yet, less populous and more rural areas are increasingly gaining access to this life-saving mental health and chronic pain treatment. 

But what many still don’t realize is that there are a variety of delivery systems and protocols for therapeutic ketamine that each have their own benefits and drawbacks. One of the questions I get asked the most is “which treatment method is right for me?”. Ultimately, this is a question for both you and your primary care physician but I will attempt to outline a framework regarding the current menu of low-dose ketamine administered in a clinical setting by a licensed physician. Equipping yourself with the knowledge of ketamine delivery models can go a long way in ensuring that you wind up setting yourself up for the most successful treatment plan possible. 

Intravenous (IV)

Easily the most popular and well known ketamine treatment option is intravenous or iv therapy. This delivery system involves the administration of one or more infusions of ketamine combined with lidocaine and/or magnesium into the bloodstream via a needle or catheter. A key advantage of infusion therapy is that the ketamine can be administered precisely over the course of the treatment. Patients travel to outpatient ketamine iv clinics for treatment, spend anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours (depending on what is being treated) in a treatment room with a nurse practitioner who administers the infusion, and at the conclusion of treatment, the patient must arrange for transportation as they are unable to operate a vehicle post treatment.  

Who is it for?

With a properly vetted protocol, IV treatment centers tend to celebrate excellent success rates in the treatment of neuropathic pain conditions such as Fibromyalgia and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Generally, patients who are treating debilitating chronic pain seek out ketamine infusion clinics because pain treatment protocols require extended durations for the infusion itself (up to four hours). Because IV treatments are so titrated and highly controlled, they are ideal for the low & slow approach to ketamine therapy. Infusion clinics treat mental health conditions with similarly strong success rates however the high price tag along with difficulties getting full or partial insurance coverage are the largest barriers to prospective patients undergoing ketamine treatments.  

How much does it cost?

Ketamine infusion clinics, on average, cost patients anywhere from $375 to $800 per treatment. The stabilization period of treatment requires 4-6 sessions within the first week or so of treatment, which costs patients anywhere from $1,875 to $4,000 in the first month of therapy. From that point on, the majority of patients return for treatment on a more infrequent basis (once a month, every other month, etc).  

Intramuscular (IM)

Easily the most popular and well known ketamine treatment option is intravenous or iv therapy. This delivery system involves the administration of one or more infusions of ketamine combined with lidocaine and/or magnesium into the bloodstream via a needle or catheter. A key advantage of infusion therapy is that the ketamine can be administered precisely over the course of the treatment. Patients travel to outpatient ketamine iv clinics for treatment, spend anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours (depending on what is being treated) in a treatment room with a nurse practitioner who administers the infusion, and at the conclusion of treatment, the patient must arrange for transportation as they are unable to operate a vehicle post treatment.  

Who is it for?

With a properly vetted protocol, IV treatment centers tend to celebrate excellent success rates in the treatment of neuropathic pain conditions such as Fibromyalgia and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Generally, patients who are treating debilitating chronic pain seek out ketamine infusion clinics because pain treatment protocols require extended durations for the infusion itself (up to four hours). Because IV treatments are so titrated and highly controlled, they are ideal for the low & slow approach to ketamine therapy. Infusion clinics treat mental health conditions with similarly strong success rates however the high price tag along with difficulties getting full or partial insurance coverage are the largest barriers to prospective patients undergoing ketamine treatments. 

How much does it cost?

Ketamine infusion clinics, on average, cost patients anywhere from $375 to $800 per treatment. The stabilization period of treatment requires 4-6 sessions within the first week or so of treatment, which costs patients anywhere from $1,875 to $4,000 in the first month of therapy. From that point on, the majority of patients return for treatment on a more infrequent basis (once a month, every other month, etc).  

Intranasal / Nasal Spray

Easily the most popular and well known ketamine treatment option is intravenous or iv therapy. This delivery system involves the administration of one or more infusions of ketamine combined with lidocaine and/or magnesium into the bloodstream via a needle or catheter. A key advantage of infusion therapy is that the ketamine can be administered precisely over the course of the treatment. Patients travel to outpatient ketamine iv clinics for treatment, spend anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours (depending on what is being treated) in a treatment room with a nurse practitioner who administers the infusion, and at the conclusion of treatment, the patient must arrange forr transportation as they are unable to operate a vehicle post treatment. 

Who is it for?

With a properly vetted protocol, IV treatment centers tend to celebrate excellent success rates in the treatment of neuropathic pain conditions such as Fibromyalgia and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Generally, patients who are treating debilitating chronic pain seek out ketamine infusion clinics because pain treatment protocols require extended durations for the infusion itself (up to four hours). Because IV treatments are so titrated and highly controlled, they are ideal for the low & slow approach to ketamine therapy. Infusion clinics treat mental health conditions with similarly strong success rates however the high price tag along with difficulties getting full or partial insurance coverage are the largest barriers to prospective patients undergoing ketamine treatments. 

How much does it cost?

Ketamine infusion clinics, on average, cost patients anywhere from $375 to $800 per treatment. The stabilization period of treatment requires 4-6 sessions within the first week or so of treatment, which costs patients anywhere from $1,875 to $4,000 in the first month of therapy. From that point on, the majority of patients return for treatment on a more infrequent basis (once a month, every other month, etc).