Neuropathy Treatment in Westminster, CO

Physician-Led Neuropathy Care Serving Westminster and North Denver

At Vitalitas, we understand how persistent nerve pain can affect sleep, movement, concentration, work, and everyday activities. At our Westminster clinic at 12110 North Pecos St, Suite 160, Westminster, CO 80234, we review your symptoms, pain history, medications, previous treatment, health history, safety factors, 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 neuropathy does not cause the same pain or sensory changes for every patient.

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

Neuropathy can have many causes and presentations, so appropriate evaluation matters. Treatment depends on factors such as the nerves involved, the underlying cause, the symptoms you experience, and what previous approaches have or have not helped.

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

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of ketamine for neuropathic pain included 18 randomized controlled trials involving 706 participants and found that adding ketamine to standard neuropathic pain treatment was associated with reduced pain intensity in the studied populations. However, the trials used different administration routes, dosing regimens, treatment durations, and patient populations, so the findings do not establish one specific IV ketamine protocol. The overall certainty of the evidence was low, and adverse effects were more common with ketamine.

We approach ketamine accordingly. IV ketamine is not a cure for neuropathy and does not repair every cause of nerve damage. Instead, it may be considered as an additional off-label option for selected patients whose neuropathic pain remains difficult to manage after previous treatment.

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

Careful Screening and Physician-Led Neuropathy Treatment

A neuropathy diagnosis alone does not determine whether ketamine therapy is appropriate. The type of nerve pain you experience, its duration, your medical history, medications, previous treatment, and ability to receive outpatient treatment safely all matter.

Before recommending IV ketamine therapy, we consider your:

• Neuropathic pain symptoms and how they affect daily life

• Pain history and how long symptoms have been present

• Medical history and current medications

• Previous pain treatments

• Factors that worsen or improve your symptoms

• Clinical stability and safety factors

• Treatment goals and expectations

If IV ketamine treatment moves forward, our care model includes:

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

• Physician oversight throughout treatment

• Clinical monitoring of heart rate, heart rhythm, 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 therapy. We believe careful screening, clear recommendations, and realistic expectations are essential parts of responsible chronic pain care.