Ketamine for Pain Management in DFW When Standard Care Has Stopped Working
IV ketamine therapy targets the central pain circuits that keep chronic pain alive long after the original injury or illness has healed. Physician-led care at three Dallas-Fort Worth locations: Flower Mound, McKinney, and Fort Worth.
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You May Be a Fit If
- Pain has lasted longer than three months, and standard care is no longer changing the trajectory.
- You have tried multiple medications without adequate relief, and opioids are bringing diminishing returns or unacceptable side effects.
- Your imaging and labs do not fully explain the severity or persistence of your pain.
- You want a non-opioid option backed by published clinical evidence, not another prescription to add to the list.
- You want a medical team that will be direct about what is realistic for your condition.
Why IV Ketamine Works Differently
Most pain medications target the source of the pain: the injured tissue, the inflamed joint, the irritated nerve. That works when the source is the whole story. In chronic pain, it often is not.
Over months and years, pain signals can change the nervous system itself. The spinal cord becomes more efficient at transmitting them. The brain dedicates more processing power to them. Normal sensations start to register as painful. Researchers call this central sensitization, and it is the reason so many treatments aimed at the original tissue fall short.
Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist. NMDA receptors are one of the main drivers of central sensitization. By temporarily blocking them, subanesthetic IV ketamine can quiet the pain amplification system rather than just mask the symptom. That mechanism is fundamentally different from how opioids, NSAIDs, gabapentinoids, or SNRIs work (Cohen et al., 2018, Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine).
What the Research Actually Supports
Research support for IV ketamine varies by condition. The strongest evidence is for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), where placebo-controlled studies have shown meaningful pain relief lasting up to 11–12 weeks after treatment.
There is also clinical evidence supporting ketamine for certain forms of neuropathic pain, especially when standard treatments have not worked well enough. For conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic migraine, phantom limb pain, and trigeminal neuralgia, the research is more limited but promising.
IV ketamine for chronic pain is off-label and not FDA-approved for this use. During your consultation, we explain what the research does and does not support for your specific condition.
Pain Conditions We Treat at NeuroGlow
Each condition has its own page with mechanism, evidence, protocol, and what patients typically notice. If you already know your diagnosis, jump to the relevant page below.
- Chronic Pain.
Pain that has outlasted the original injury or illness, often driven by central sensitization.
Learn more > - Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).
Severe, disproportionate pain after an injury, surgery, or immobilization. The condition with the strongest published evidence for IV ketamine.
Learn more > - Fibromyalgia.
Widespread pain, fatigue, and cognitive symptoms driven by central pain amplification.
Learn more > - Chronic Migraine.
Fifteen or more headache days per month when preventives and abortives have lost their edge.
Learn more > - Neuropathic Pain.
Burning, shooting, or electric pain from nerve injury or dysfunction that has not responded to gabapentinoids or SNRIs.
Learn more > - Phantom Limb Pain.
Persistent neuropathic pain in a limb that is no longer there. Hero Discount available for veterans and first responders; we accept Tricare and ChampVA.
Learn more > - Trigeminal Neuralgia.
Severe facial pain that has become refractory to carbamazepine or other first-line medications. Same-week consultations available for urgent cases.
Learn more >
The NeuroGlow Approach to Pain Management
What is standardized for every patient, and what is individualized:
- Initial physician consultation, in person or by phone, at no cost to you.
- Subanesthetic IV ketamine infusion series, typically delivered over one to two weeks, with dose and session count individualized to your diagnosis and history.
- Private suite, reclining chair, continuous vital sign monitoring, about 40 to 60 minutes of infusion time per session.
- Structured reassessment using validated pain and function scales. We measure with numbers, not impressions.
- Maintenance only when it is demonstrably helping. No set-it-and-forget-it plans.
- Three DFW locations (Flower Mound, McKinney, and Fort Worth), so treatment fits your life, not the other way around.
- Coordination with your primary care provider, neurologist, rheumatologist, or pain specialist whenever possible.
Who Is and Is Not a Candidate
You may be a candidate if you are an adult with a chronic pain diagnosis that has not responded adequately to first-line care and you are looking for an evidence-informed, non-opioid option.
You may not be medically appropriate if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, certain cardiovascular conditions, active psychosis, or other medical issues that make ketamine unsafe. A consultation is how we sort through all of that, with you, before anything is scheduled.
What This Is Not
To keep expectations honest: IV ketamine therapy is not a first-line treatment for chronic pain. It does not guarantee an outcome, and it does not replace your primary care team or pain specialist. What it does offer is an evidence-informed option that may help when standard care has not been enough, delivered in a monitored clinical setting with clear measurement at every step. If progress is not measurable after the first few sessions, we will say so directly.
Your First Visit, Step by Step
- Free consultation with a NeuroGlow physician, in person or by phone.
- Full history review covering your diagnoses, medications, prior treatments, and what a typical bad day actually looks like.
- Eligibility discussion with a direct answer about whether ketamine is a reasonable fit for your specific condition.
- Treatment planning and first-infusion scheduling at the DFW location closest to you.
What Patients Often Notice
The goal is rarely zero pain on day one. It is lower baseline pain, better sleep, and more room to function again. Many patients describe early wins as the background hum of pain finally quieting down. Small things, like tolerating a bedsheet, sitting through a meal, or sleeping through the night.
We track all of this with numeric pain scores, validated function measures, and real-world activity questions, so progress is a number, not a feeling.
Common Questions Before Starting
Is IV ketamine therapy safe?
Subanesthetic IV ketamine has a well-characterized safety profile when delivered by qualified clinicians with continuous monitoring. We screen for cardiovascular and psychiatric contraindications at consultation, monitor vital signs throughout each infusion, and adjust dose to keep you comfortable.
Does insurance cover ketamine for pain?
IV ketamine for chronic pain is generally not covered by commercial insurance because it is used off-label. We discuss out-of-pocket cost at consultation, offer a Hero Discount for veterans and first responders, and accept Tricare and ChampVA where applicable.
What does an infusion feel like?
Most patients describe a calm, dreamlike state lasting about 40 to 60 minutes. You remain conscious. Vital signs are monitored throughout. After a short recovery period, you go home with a driver, since you cannot drive until the next day, after a restful night’s sleep.
Do you work with the VA?
Yes. We work with Tricare and ChampVA and can coordinate with VA providers where appropriate. Ask at your consultation.
How quickly could I notice change?
Some patients notice changes within the first one or two sessions, often sleep first, then baseline pain. For conditions like CRPS, the benefit can build over the full infusion series and continue for weeks after.
Do I need to stop my current medications?
Usually not. We coordinate with your prescriber and review each medication for interactions at consultation.
What if it does not help me?
We measure response at every step. If the numbers are not moving after the first few sessions, we say so directly and help you decide what makes sense next, including not continuing.
NeuroGlow helps you understand whether IV ketamine fits your pain condition and what a realistic next step could look like. Free consultations are available in person or by phone.