PTSD Treatment

Long Island Ketamine Center

Internal Medicine & Ketamine Infusion Specialist located in Great Neck, NY

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes recurring symptoms that disrupt your daily life and often make it a struggle to hold down a job or enjoy time with family and friends. Many patients find that their PTSD doesn’t improve with conventional treatments, which is why Ebrahim Sadighim, MD, at Long Island Ketamine Center offers PTSD treatment with ketamine. Ketamine is an innovative option with the potential to quickly improve your PTSD symptoms and produce long-lasting results. To learn more about ketamine, call the office in Great Neck, New York, or request an appointment today.

516-701-2596

PTSD Treatment Q & A

What causes PTSD?

PTSD occurs after a terrifying or dangerous event. You may be directly involved in the event, but you can also develop PTSD after hearing about a traumatic event experienced by a family member or friend.

The top events responsible for causing PTSD include:

Military duty
Gun violence
Severe accident
Sexual or physical assault
Natural or man-made disaster

The sudden death of a loved one, being robbed, and many other traumatic events can also lead to PTSD.

What symptoms develop due to PTSD?

You may experience symptoms right after the traumatic event, or your symptoms may be delayed. Once symptoms begin, they recur and cause significant anxiety.

PTSD symptoms include:

Having flashbacks or dreams about the event
Having extreme emotions
Feeling on edge or angry
Being easily startled
Feeling depressed
Avoiding the people and places that remind you of the event

Some patients find that they have a hard time remembering all the details about the event.

What treatment might I receive for PTSD?

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and other types of psychotherapy are the first treatments recommended for patients with PTSD. Unfortunately, about half of all patients continue to have symptoms after their psychotherapy is over.

You may receive medications to treat specific symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia, and there are two FDA-recommended medications for PTSD. However, 20-40% of all patients fail to improve with these medications. You have another more effective option for PTSD treatment, and that’s ketamine.

How does ketamine support PTSD treatment?

Ketamine is a medication that treats PTSD through two pathways. First, it balances levels of glutamate, a brain chemical that regulates psychological conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. As ketamine directly and quickly changes brain chemicals, it rapidly improves PTSD symptoms.

The second way ketamine helps PTSD is by improving nerve connectivity. This action may be especially important for patients with PTSD because experiencing trauma disrupts nerve communication.

What should I expect during PTSD treatment with ketamine?

Dr. Sadighim administers ketamine through an intravenous (IV) infusion. Slowly infusing the medication directly into your bloodstream allows for maximum absorption and dose control.

While your symptoms may improve with one treatment, a series of IV infusions over the course of about two weeks produces optimal and long-lasting results.

Like other medications, each person’s response to ketamine is different. Dr. Sadighim works closely with you to ensure you achieve the best possible results.

To learn if you’re a good candidate for ketamine treatment, call Long Island Ketamine Center or request an appointment today.