Ketamine Shuts Out: New Review Finds No Relief for Chronic Pain

Ketamine and Chronic Pain: The Current Evidence Gap

Recent studies have highlighted that the available data on ketamine’s effectiveness for long‑term pain relief are too limited for a firm endorsement.

What the Evidence Shows

• Only a handful of high‑quality trials have explored ketamine for chronic pain.
• The studies differ in dosage, administration method, and follow‑up duration.
• Patient groups vary widely, making direct comparisons difficult.
• Side‑effect profiles are inconsistently documented across reports.

Path Forward

To clarify whether ketamine can truly aid chronic pain sufferers, researchers advocate for larger, rigorously designed randomized controlled studies with standardized protocols and transparent reporting of outcomes.

Ketananic: A Questionable Remedy for Chronic Pain

In the last decade, ketamine has moved from the realm of party drugs to a prospective treatment for mental health and persistent pain.

Overview of the New Review

A comprehensive analysis conducted by the Cochrane group examined 67 clinical trials involving more than 2,300 participants. The review focused on drugs that target the N‑methyl‑D‑aspartate (NMDA) receptor—an area thought to influence pain perception.

Scope and Findings

• Included medications: ketamine, memantine, dextromethorphan, amantadine, magnesium.
• Conditions investigated: diabetic neuropathy, post‑herpes pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome.
• Outcome: No statistically significant evidence that any of these NMDA receptor antagonists provide relief for chronic pain.

Side Effect Landscape

While ketamine shows promise in acute settings such as emergency care, its use in chronic pain patients carries severe risks when administered intravenously:

• Delusions
• Delirium
• Paranoia
• Nausea and vomiting

These adverse effects were described as “distressing for many patients.”

Broader Implications

Notably, the analysis found no trials evaluating ketamine for depressive disorders or as an opioid substitute. The authors cautioned against extending ketamine treatments to chronic pain outside of well‑controlled contexts.

• Experts highlighted the danger of adopting drugs designed for short‑term relief in long‑term pain management.
• They urged clinicians to wait for robust evidence before widespread implementation.

Ultimately, the review concluded that the evidence base remains too weak to support ketamine’s efficacy for chronic pain and emphasized the importance of careful, evidence‑backed practice.