Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder affecting joints, skin, and blood vessels. The most common symptom of EDS is joint hypermobility, which means that the joints move beyond the normal range of motion.
Other symptoms include easy bruising, chronic pain, fatigue, skin fragility, and poor healing. EDS is linked to severe physical impairment and can make it impossible to lead a normal and productive life.
There is no cure for EDS, but there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms and improve mobility and function, including physiotherapy and medications. Ketamine infusions are also becoming an increasingly popular and effective off-label treatment for EDS.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a FAD-approved anesthetic used in operations and emergency rooms for decades to induce and maintain anesthesia. More recently, intravenous ketamine therapy has proven to be an effective alternative treatment option for mental and physical health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideations, addiction, and chronic pain.
How Does it Work?
The exact mechanism of action of ketamine is not fully understood. It is thought to work by blocking NMDA receptors in the brain. NMDA receptors modulate neurotransmitter activity and nerve signaling in the brain.
By blocking these receptors, ketamine may be able to change how the brain processes information, including pain signals, resulting in sustained remission from pain and symptoms associated with mental illnesses.
Can Ketamine Infusions Treat EDS?
There is no cure for EDS, but there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms. One such treatment is ketamine infusions. Ketamine is effective in treating chronic and nerve-related pain conditions like fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and anecdotal evidence also suggests that ketamine may be effective in treating EDS-related pain.
However, there have been no formal studies on the efficacy of ketamine infusions in treating EDS specifically. Still, ketamine’s ability to provide long-term relief from a broad range of chronic pain conditions makes it an ideal potential treatment for EDS.
Is Ketamine Therapy Safe?
Ketamine is generally safe and well tolerated when administered in low doses by a licensed professional – in a controlled medical setting. However, there are a few potential side effects, including nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, and euphoria. Some people also report dissociative sensations during and after infusion therapy.
These symptoms are generally mild and tend to subside within a few hours. In most cases, ketamine infusions are considered safe for people with EDS who do not have other medical conditions that may be contraindicated.
Final Thoughts
There is no cure for EDS, and the constant pain associated with this debilitating condition can sometimes be challenging to manage. This calls for innovative treatment options like ketamine infusion therapy.
While more research and clinical trials are needed to investigate the efficacy of ketamine infusions in treating EDS, anecdotal evidence suggests that ketamine may be an effective treatment option for managing the pain and other symptoms associated with this condition.
