How strong is the evidence for ketamine in CRPS?

The 2018 consensus guidelines grade it as moderate — the strongest of any chronic pain condition they reviewed — for improvements in pain for up to 12 weeks using multi-day infusion protocols.

What does a CRPS ketamine protocol look like?

Protocols cited in the guidelines include 22 mg/h for 4 days, or 0.35 mg/kg per hour over 4 hours daily for 10 days — far more intensive than 40-minute mood infusions, with medical monitoring throughout.

How long does relief last after a CRPS infusion series?

In the studies behind the guideline's moderate-evidence rating, pain improvements lasted up to 12 weeks. Many patients plan periodic maintenance with their pain specialist.

Ketamine Therapy for CRPS

Complex regional pain syndrome. 112 listed clinics treat this condition.

What the Evidence Says About Ketamine for CRPS

Complex regional pain syndrome is the chronic-pain condition where ketamine's evidence is strongest. The 2018 ASRA/AAPM/ASA consensus guidelines (Cohen et al.) found moderate evidence that intensive IV ketamine protocols — such as 22 mg/h for 4 days, or 0.35 mg/kg per hour over 4 hours daily for 10 days — provide pain improvements lasting up to 12 weeks.

Those are demanding, multi-day protocols run under monitoring, typically at anesthesiology-led pain practices rather than mood-focused clinics — worth confirming a clinic actually runs CRPS protocols before booking. The guidelines' broader caution applies here too: "the level of evidence varies by condition and dose range," and relief in trials was time-limited, so maintenance planning matters.

FDA status: No form of ketamine is FDA-approved for CRPS. Generic (racemic) ketamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic; its use for this condition is off-label, prescribed at a clinician's discretion.

Sources:

Cohen et al., Consensus Guidelines on the Use of Intravenous Ketamine Infusions for Chronic Pain (ASRA/AAPM/ASA, Reg Anesth Pain Med 2018)

Ketamine for CRPS in Alabama

Ketamine for CRPS in Alaska

Ketamine Wellness Institute (Anchorage)

Ketamine for CRPS in Arizona

Ketamine for CRPS in California

Ketamine for CRPS in Colorado

Ketamine for CRPS in Connecticut

Ketamine for CRPS in Florida

Ketamine for CRPS in Georgia

Ketamine for CRPS in Idaho

Ketamine for CRPS in Illinois

Ketamine for CRPS in Indiana

Ketamine for CRPS in Kansas

Balanced Ketamine (Overland Park)

Ketamine for CRPS in Kentucky

Bluegrass Ketamine Center (Lexington)

Ketamine for CRPS in Maryland

Ketamine for CRPS in Massachusetts

Ketamine for CRPS in Michigan

Ketamine for CRPS in Missouri

Morpheus IV Hydration & Ketamine Infusion Clinic (Columbia)

Ketamine for CRPS in Nevada

Ketamine for CRPS in New Jersey

Ketamine for CRPS in New York

Ketamine for CRPS in North Carolina

Ketamine for CRPS in Ohio

Ketamine for CRPS in Oregon

Ketamine for CRPS in Pennsylvania

Ketamine for CRPS in South Carolina

Charleston Ketamine Center (Mt Pleasant)

Ketamine for CRPS in Tennessee

Ketamine for CRPS in Texas

Ketamine for CRPS in Utah

Ketamine for CRPS in Virginia

Ketamine for CRPS in Washington

Ketamine for CRPS: Common Questions

How strong is the evidence for ketamine in CRPS?: The 2018 consensus guidelines grade it as moderate — the strongest of any chronic pain condition they reviewed — for improvements in pain for up to 12 weeks using multi-day infusion protocols.
What does a CRPS ketamine protocol look like?: Protocols cited in the guidelines include 22 mg/h for 4 days, or 0.35 mg/kg per hour over 4 hours daily for 10 days — far more intensive than 40-minute mood infusions, with medical monitoring throughout.
How long does relief last after a CRPS infusion series?: In the studies behind the guideline's moderate-evidence rating, pain improvements lasted up to 12 weeks. Many patients plan periodic maintenance with their pain specialist.