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Ketamine Latest Health Hazard
The club drug known as “Special K” is now shown to cause pelvic pain and urinary incontinence as well as the other more well-known dangers.
In addition to the well-known dangers of drug use, there are additional side effects that are rarely discovered or talked about. For instance, long-term abuse of the recreational drug ketamine (aka “Special K”) is now linked to a heightened risk for pelvic pain and urinary incontinence, according to a recent report by HealthDay.
Study on Ketamine Use
The report’s findings are based on a 2009 survey conducted by a team of researchers in Hong Kong including 66 male and female teen and young adult subjects who used ketamine. The 13- to 25-year-old subjects shared information about their drug experience. While nearly half of those surveyed said they didn’t believe they were addicted to the drug, the study’s authors found that those with a two-year plus history of ketamine abuse were subject to an increase both in pelvic pain and the urgent and frequent need to urinate. Those who took ketamine more than five times per week also experienced reduced bladder capacity.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine, one of the so-called “club drugs” due to its popularity in nightlife rave settings, is chemically related to PCP (aka Angel Dust). It was originally intended as a veterinary anesthetic for use in animal surgery. When used recreationally by humans this dissociative anesthetic functions as a hallucinogen, often causing feelings of euphoria, numbness, delirium and a sense of being disconnected from time and space. It can also disturb motor function, trigger high blood pressure and instigate respiratory distress.
Among those surveyed, more than half said they also engage in recreational use of the hypnotic drug “nimetazepam” (brand name Erimin) and nearly 46 percent reported cocaine use, while nearly 40 percent said they smoke marijuana.
Ketamine Addiction
If you or someone you love is battling a ketamine addiction, call La Paloma at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.
