PAINscape—Exploring patient experiences with ketamine for chronic neuropathic pain: A qualitative study
Nandana D. Parakh, Danielle Lessor, Kevin Dang, Paul Ritvo, Duminda N Wijeysundera, Victoria Tucci, Mariela Leda, Mindy Lu, Gabriella Mattina, Janneth Pazmino-Canizares, Zaaria Thomas, Roshni Nayar, John G. Hanlon, Sérgio M. Pereira, Sunit Das, Hance Clarke, Sakina J. Rizvi, Cheryl Pritlove, Akash Goel
Canadian Journal of Pain March 4, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/24740527.2026.2615473 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants with chronic neuropathic pain |
| Intervention | Ketamine infusions |
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Chronic pain Neuropathic pain Qualitative research Physical therapy Health care Medline |
| Key findings | All participants reported decreased pain with ketamine infusions. |
Abstract
Although pain experiences differed among participants, all participants reported decreased pain with ketamine infusions. Addressing the stigma associated with ketamine infusions, further research around augmenting durability of ketamine, and providing a safe treatment environment can all improve ketamine's benefit for chronic neuropathic pain. Understanding the barriers and facilitators, as well as implementing participant suggestions, will not only help inform our ketamine program but can improve access to pain management and facilitate future research in this field.