Ketamine: an innovative alternative for pain and mental health

For decades, ketamine was known solely as an anesthetic in medical procedures. However, in recent years it has proven to be a valuable tool for managing chronic pain and certain mental health disorders that are resistant to conventional treatments. At Horizon, this approach is applied with safe protocols, professional supervision, and in a controlled environment, giving patients a real option to improve their quality of life.

Horizon Tijuana also offers ketamine therapy as an alternative treatment for certain chronic pain and mood conditions. Ketamine is a medication originally used for anesthesia, but at low doses it has been found to have powerful effects on chronic pain and depression that resist other treatments. In our clinic, ketamine is administered via controlled IV infusion under medical supervision.

What is ketamine therapy?

Ketamine, when used in low doses and under strict medical supervision, acts differently from traditional painkillers. It interacts with receptors in the brain and nervous system, modifying how pain is perceived and helping restore altered neural connections. This not only relieves physical symptoms but also has a positive impact on the patient’s mood and emotional response.

Ketamine therapy can provide rapid relief from severe, treatment-resistant chronic pain and depressive symptoms. It is often recommended when other pain management strategies have failed. Research is still ongoing, but studies indicate that ketamine can significantly reduce pain in neuropathic and complex pain syndromes. Because ketamine acts on neurotransmitters (like NMDA receptors) differently than opioids or anti-inflammatories, it can break persistent pain cycles for some patients.

In what cases is it used?

Ketamine therapy is often recommended in situations where other treatments have been insufficient. The most common uses include:

• Severe chronic pain: associated with injuries, neuropathies, or degenerative diseases.

• Fibromyalgia: a condition characterized by widespread and persistent pain.

• Treatment-resistant depression: in patients who have not responded to traditional medications.

• Post-traumatic stress disorder and severe anxiety: as support within a comprehensive mental health plan.

Key benefits

• Rapid pain relief: compared to other treatments, effects usually appear in a short time.

• Improved mood: ketamine may help reduce depressive and anxious symptoms.

• Neuroplasticity: promotes the reconnection of neural circuits, contributing to longer-lasting effects.

• Reduced dependence on other drugs: in some cases, patients decrease the need for conventional painkillers.

• Comprehensive care: can be combined with other regenerative or metabolic support therapies.

Safety and protocols at Horizon

The use of ketamine requires medical expertise and a safe environment. At Horizon, each patient is evaluated beforehand to determine whether they are an ideal candidate. Sessions are carried out in a controlled clinical setting, with constant monitoring and doses specifically calculated for the condition being treated.

Our multidisciplinary team ensures the treatment is part of a comprehensive plan, always prioritizing safety, ethics, and transparency at every stage.

• Uses: Treatment of refractory chronic pain (such as neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, CRPS) and severe mood disorders (including treatment-resistant depression and PTSD).
• Treatment format: Administered as a series of intravenous infusions, starting at a low dose and gradually adjusted. Each session is supervised by physicians experienced in ketamine therapy.
• Benefits: Rapid onset of pain relief or mood improvement (often within hours to days); can help patients who have not responded to other therapies. Many patients report dramatic improvement in pain intensity and quality of life.

An alternative with a forward-looking vision

Ketamine therapy does not replace other treatments but represents an innovative and scientifically supported option for those who have struggled with pain or mental health issues without finding relief. At Horizon, we believe that opening the door to new possibilities is key to transforming medicine and giving patients the opportunity to live with less pain and greater emotional stability.

As with all our treatments, safety is paramount. We monitor patients closely during and after ketamine infusions. Although ketamine therapy is relatively safe at low doses, patients are evaluated for any potential heart or other health issues beforehand. This innovative therapy, combined with counseling and follow-up, is part of Horizon’s commitment to offering holistic solutions when conventional treatments are exhausted.