The Avesta Blog
New to ketamine care? Read these first
Three guides that answer the questions most patients ask before their first visit.
Guides
What is Ketamine and How Does it Work?
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used in surgery and pain management since the 1960s. At clinical doses it is an effective therapy for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, anxiety and suicidality, and it can relieve chronic pain.
Guides
Is Ketamine Therapy Safe?
The article says ketamine IV infusions for mood disorders and chronic pain are very safe when given by highly trained, board-certified anesthesia providers, and notes the World Health Organization lists ketamine as an essential medicine. The ideal candidate has usually tried other treatments without success.
Pricing
How to Pay for Ketamine Therapy and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs
Most patients lower ketamine costs through insurance-based Spravato treatment or IV ketamine supported by reimbursement and other payment tools. Spravato often provides the lowest out-of-pocket cost for patients who qualify.
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Conditions
Should I Try Ketamine to Manage my Chronic Pain?
The honest answer is maybe. A 2025 Cochrane review found no clear evidence that ketamine reduces chronic pain, though its authors say the question remains open. Avesta uses ketamine off-label after screening, and candidates are people whose pain has not responded to standard treatment.
Research
Myths and Facts About Ketamine
Ketamine is a clinically supervised medicine, not just a street drug. It is not a one-and-done treatment: patients begin with six sessions over two to three weeks and may need more infusions over time.
News
Our Holistic Approach to Mental Health
Avesta supports a holistic approach to mood disorders: a team of mental health practitioners, a healthy diet and exercise, and IV and intramuscular vitamin infusions alongside ketamine treatment.
Treatments
Ketamine Infusions for Treatment-Resistant Pain
Ketamine infusions can help chronic pain that has not responded to other treatments, because ketamine blocks certain pain receptors and interrupts pain signals. It has been in clinical use since the 1970s and is on the WHO List of Essential Medicines.
Guides
Why Ketamine Therapy?
Ketamine is being used for treatment-resistant depression, which affects up to 30% of people with major depressive disorder. Avesta offers IV ketamine sessions of about 45 to 60 minutes and the FDA-approved nasal spray Spravato.
News
Avesta is an Advocacy Consortium Clinic
Avesta is an Advocacy Consortium Clinic in the Ketamine Taskforce, launched February 1, 2021 to expand access to safe ketamine treatment through insurance coverage. Member clinics contribute de-identified real-world data on how well ketamine works.
Community
Break the Stigma about Mental Health
Break the Stigma is a suicide prevention effort built on recognizing that mental health conditions are real, being honest and facing your feelings. If you need help immediately, call 988.
Conditions
Does Ketamine Therapy Work for OCD?
OCD is an anxiety disorder marked by obsessions (repeated, distressing thoughts) and compulsions (behaviors repeated over and over). The article explains how ketamine IV infusions are used for OCD, and a consultation can show whether they are right for you.
Conditions
Ketamine may overturn insensitivity to prediction error in depression
A 2020 study reported that ketamine improves short-term plasticity in depression by enhancing sensitivity to prediction errors. The article explains what that could mean for depression, which researchers increasingly treat as biologically based.
Conditions
Ketamine Offers New Hope for Treatment Resistant PTSD
Ketamine IV infusions offer new hope for treatment-resistant PTSD, which can involve nightmares, insomnia and trouble moving past traumatic memories. Maintenance treatments follow the first series, and a free, discreet consultation can show if it is right for you.
Conditions
Understanding Ketamine: Hope for Anxiety Sufferers
Ketamine IV infusions for mood disorders are described as very safe when given by highly trained, board-certified clinicians, with a strong body of research behind them for anxiety and depression. If you are considering ketamine for anxiety, book a consultation with a licensed provider.
Conditions
How Patients Struggle with Treatment-Resistant Depression and Anxiety
Treatment-resistant depression and anxiety can mean years of trial and error with prescription drugs and their side effects. Ketamine IV infusions may begin working within hours for some patients, but they are not right for everyone, so a consultation is needed.
The Avesta blog shares general education and is not a substitute for medical advice. Talk to a qualified clinician about your own situation.
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