Neuropathy Treatment in Littleton, CO

Physician-Led Neuropathy Care Serving Littleton and South Denver

At Vitalitas, we understand how persistent nerve pain can interfere with sleep, movement, work, concentration, and everyday routines. At our Littleton clinic at 26 West Dry Creek Circle, Suite 200, Littleton, CO 80120, we review your symptoms, pain history, medications, previous treatment, health history, and goals before determining whether IV ketamine therapy may be appropriate for your care.

When Neuropathy Causes Persistent Nerve Pain

Peripheral neuropathy refers to conditions involving damage to the peripheral nervous system, which carries signals between the brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body. Symptoms vary according to the nerves affected, and not everyone with neuropathy experiences the same type of pain or sensory changes.

Neuropathy and neuropathic pain may involve:

• Burning, tingling, or prickling sensations

• Sharp, shooting, or electric pain

• Numbness or reduced sensation

• Increased sensitivity to touch

• Muscle weakness or difficulty with movement

• Pain or sensory changes that interfere with sleep and daily activities

Neuropathic pain can sometimes continue even when there is no new injury occurring. Some people also experience allodynia, in which normally nonpainful contact—such as clothing or light touch—causes pain.

Because neuropathy can have many causes and presentations, appropriate evaluation matters. When nerve pain remains difficult to manage despite previous care, another treatment approach may be worth considering.

IV Ketamine Therapy for Neuropathic Pain

At Vitalitas, we provide physician-led IV ketamine therapy for selected patients with neuropathic pain, including pain associated with neuropathy.

Ketamine is FDA-approved as a general anesthetic. Its use for neuropathic pain and other chronic pain conditions is off-label, meaning ketamine has not been FDA-approved specifically to treat neuropathy or chronic pain. The FDA provides additional context on the current use of ketamine in emerging areas of therapeutic interest.

Ketamine works through the glutamate system and blocks NMDA receptors involved in pain signaling and nervous system sensitivity. Researchers have studied whether this pathway may be relevant when neuropathic pain becomes persistent or hypersensitive.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of ketamine for neuropathic pain found that adding ketamine to standard treatment was associated with reduced neuropathic pain intensity in studied patients. However, the overall certainty of the evidence was low because the studies varied substantially in patient populations, administration methods, dosing, and treatment duration. Adverse effects were also more common with ketamine.

We approach ketamine accordingly: as an option that may be appropriate for some patients after careful evaluation, not as a guaranteed solution for neuropathy or nerve pain.

Learn more about our broader approach to ketamine therapy for neuropathic pain.

Careful Screening and Physician-Led Treatment

Safety and clinical fit are central to how we provide ketamine therapy for neuropathic pain. Before recommending treatment, we consider your pain history, medical history, current medications, previous treatments, safety factors, goals, and how nerve pain is affecting your daily life.

For neuropathic pain, we also consider the type of pain you experience, how long it has been present, what makes it worse, what has helped previously, and whether outpatient ketamine treatment can be provided appropriately.

If treatment moves forward, our approach includes:

• Individualized planning based on your symptoms, history, previous care, and clinical needs

• Physician oversight throughout treatment

• Clinical monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen level, and how you are feeling during the infusion

• Follow-up to review your response and guide future treatment decisions

• Care coordination with the clinician managing your chronic pain or other ongoing care when appropriate

Not everyone with neuropathy or neuropathic pain will be a candidate for ketamine. We believe careful screening, clear recommendations, and realistic expectations are part of responsible chronic pain care.