PTSD

What is PTSD?

PTSD is a mental health disorder that begins after you experience or witness an event that causes harm or threatens your safety. Traumatic events that often cause PTSD include:

• Physical or sexual assault
• Emotional or physical abuse
• Automobile accident
• Airplane or train accident
• Earthquakes, floods, or tornadoes
• Gun violence
• Robberies
• Fires

The fear and distress you feel following a traumatic event should slowly improve. If your symptoms persist or get worse, you may have PTSD.

What symptoms occur due to PTSD?

PTSD generally causes anxiety, along with a wide range of additional symptoms. It's common to re-experience the event or have uncontrollable, intrusive memories.

If you have PTSD, you may:

• Experience flashbacks
• Have nightmares
• Feel angry and irritable
• Be easily startled
• Develop insomnia
• Become depressed
• Blame yourself for the trauma
• Feel guilt or shame
• Isolate yourself
• Have difficulty concentrating
• Avoid people and places that remind you of the trauma

PTSD often causes intense symptoms that stop you from socializing, working, and being able to enjoy life.

Why does PTSD suddenly flare up?

Your brain records all of the details surrounding the traumatic event, including the sights, sounds, smells, and your feelings at the moment. These details become the things that trigger your PTSD, but since they're stored in your subconscious, you're not fully aware of them.

When you suddenly encounter a detail similar to those in your memory, it triggers a surge of emotions. In some cases, the intense emotions compel you to take action that may not be appropriate.

How is PTSD treated?

Therapy remains one of the primary treatments for PTSD, but at Oasis Therapeutics, it’s not the only effective option.

The providers at Oasis Therapeutics may recommend cutting-edge treatments such as ketamine infusions, stellate ganglion blocks or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to help alleviate PTSD-related symptoms. Ketamine is a medication that rapidly restores the brain chemicals needed to regulate your mood. 

A stellate ganglion block involves an injection of anesthetic medication over a specific branch of nerves in your neck called the stellate ganglion. The anesthetic medication bathes the nerves and numbs them. The stellate ganglion is connected to brain regions thought to be overly activated in PTSD, thus numbing the nerves is thought to decrease the activity in these brain regions. A stellate ganglion block is an outpatient procedure, performed by specially-trained physicians under x-ray guidance, that has been used to treat various pain disorders including complex regional pain syndrome, facial pain, and upper extremity pain. Treatment of PTSD with stellate ganglion blocks is a newer, innovative application that shows great promise in providing relief of PTSD-related symptoms.

During TMS, painless magnetic waves are sent into the brain area that normally produces mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters. In people who have PTSD, this area is underactive. The magnetic energy increases nerve activity and neurotransmitters, which in turn improves your depression.

Your PTSD treatment at Oasis Therapeutics may also include integrative therapies. For example, your symptoms may improve with acupuncture, massage, mindfulness meditation, or stellate ganglion blocks.

Not all treatments offered are FDA-approved for treatment of PTSD. IV ketamine infusion and TMS for treatment of PTSD are considered off-label use and are not covered by insurance. 

You can overcome PTSD with the care available at Oasis Therapeutics. To schedule an appointment, call or book online today.