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Are you depressed? Do you feel so down that you’ve had thoughts of self-harm or worse?

There’s a new hope, and it’s not another prescription medication. At Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles, we offer Ketamine Infusion Therapy, the biggest breakthrough in depression treatment in fifty years. Safe, effective, long-term relief without the negative side effects. Contact us today to start your journey to relief.

Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles on the hit TV show

One of our brave patients, Julie, shares her history with depression and experience receiving Ketamine Infusion Therapy. Steven L. Mandel M.D., president and founder of Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles, discusses his approach to Ketamine Therapy. This clip is one part of an episode that aired on national television on November 3rd, 2015.

Conditions We Treat:

Mood Disorders

  • Major Depressive Disorder, even if treatment-resistant
  • Suicidality
  • Bi-Polar Depression
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Anxiety
  • Postpartum Depression
Our waiting room at our office in Brentwood in Los Angeles, California.

Chronic Pain

  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
  • Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
  • Lyme Disease Neuropathy
  • Migraines
  • Other Neuropathic Pain
One of our treatment rooms.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is an anesthetic that has been used on both humans and animals for over 50 years. Its ability to anesthetize patients quickly and safely, with few side effects, was quickly appreciated by the medical community.

Ketamine for Depression and Pain

Over the last 15 years, leading institutions all over the world have confirmed the efficacy of ketamine infusions for the treatment of mood disorders and various pain conditions. Yale, The National Institute of Mental Health, Cleveland Clinic, Stanford, and Mt. Sinai Hospital, to name a few.

At Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles, we provide Intravenous (IV) Ketamine Infusion Therapy to treat depression, anxiety, suicidality, PTSD, PPD, CRPS/RSD and other types of chronic pain.

Steven L. Mandel M.D., Founder and President, with staff

How does Ketamine work?

One of the things that makes Ketamine Therapy so exciting and effective, is it works by a completely different mechanism of action from anything else that has been used to treat the above-mentioned conditions. It does not affect serotonin or dopamine like your conventional SSRI and SNRI antidepressant medications. It does not affect opioid receptors or temporarily “numb” pain like conventional opiates and opioids.

For the treatment of mood disorders such as depression, ketamine actually helps to form new connections and repair damaged cells in the brain.

For the scientifically inclined, Ketamine is an NMDA (n-methyl d-aspartate) receptor antagonist and an AMPA receptor stimulator. AMPA stimulation results in increases in BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF stimulates the formation of new receptors and synapses (which are vital connections between neurons). Research suggests that a deficiency in these connections is associated with major depressive disorder and other mood disorders, difficulties with sleep, over-stimulation, and focus. It also causes an increase in the amino acid and neurotransmitter glutamate. A lack of glutamate has been linked to issues with sleep, focus, and mood.

For the treatment of pain such as CRPS, ketamine acts to reset pain receptors and block signals of pain, restoring a healthier balance. Many pain patients suffer from a process known as central sensitization, where pain signals increase in frequency and intensity over time. Ketamine’s effects cause positive changes in pain receptors that last long after the medicine has left the body.

Publications and Media

  • “Recent data suggest that ketamine, given intravenously, might be the most important breakthrough in antidepressant treatment in decades” – Thomas Insel M.D., Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), October 2014
  • “Ketamine for Depression: The Most Important Advance in Field in 50 Years?” – Maia Szalavitz, TIME, October 2012
  • “Drug ‘Treats Depression in Hours’ – The BBC, August 2006
  • “Low Doses Of A Common Intravenous Anesthetic May Relieve Debilitating Pain Syndrome” – American RSD Hope, August 2004

We provide the highest-quality care to our patients, and our 45+ 5.0 star reviews on Yelp prove it!

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