About Us
The Sandia Pain Center is a comprehensive practice that provides anesthesiology and pain management services to patients with chronic pain conditions. Services offered include diagnostic procedures, management of pain medications, infusions for chronic pain, and referring out to other specialists that can assist with management of chronic pain issues and supportive lifestyle changes.
The Sandia Pain Center specializes in treating patients with chronic pain conditions. We use multimodal state of the art therapy to address chronic pain in a comprehensive manner. Interventional procedures can be a big part of treatment. The following are interventional treatments offered:
All Procedures are done under Fluoroscopic or Ultrasound Guidance.
More recently Ketamine has been found to be highly effective for treatment of the following conditions:
The exact mechanism of how Ketamine treats the above conditions is not completely understood currently. It is known that Ketamine inhibits the activity of the NMDA receptor which is involved in neuroplasticity and excitatory neurotransmission. Ketamine is thought to help “reset” some of the receptors in the brain involved with pain and mood disorders
For depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety, six 1-hour sessions are recommended in a 2–3-week period.
For chronic pain, five 4-hour sessions are recommended in five consecutive days.
For Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, five 8-hour sessions are recommended in five consecutive days.
The duration of relief from symptoms can vary from patient to patient, but most will receive several months of relief. A single treatment booster infusion is usually adequate for retreatment when symptoms return.
On the day of the infusion, an IV is started and the patient will be placed in a quiet, comfortable room in a recliner. Monitoring equipment is then hooked up to the patient to monitor vital signs throughout the infusion. Patients will have their own room and can have a guest if desired.
During a Ketamine infusion patients can feel like they are having an “out of body” experience that can be euphoric. For a 60-minute infusion, most patient’s do not have this experience, but instead may have an altered perception or even feel slightly sedated.
There can be some negative side effects to Ketamine including nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, increased heart rate, or a feeling of unease. If side effects do occur, most can be treated immediately.
At the end of each infusion the IV is removed and patients will be monitored for an additional 30 minutes to ensure they are safe to go home. A driver is required to take the patient home after the infusion.
The consultation visit will be billed to insurance along with whatever co-payment is required. Unfortunately, Ketamine infusion treatments are not currently covered by insurance.
A comprehensive practice that provides anesthesiology and pain management services to patients with chronic pain conditions.
Meet Our Doctors link
Address: 8501 Candelaria NE, Albuquerque, 87111
Phone: 505-420-4971
| Office Hours | |
|---|---|
| Monday | 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Thursday | 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Friday | 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Sat & Sun | Closed |
Dr.Matt Bergsten MD
A Specialist Chronic Pain Management
From an early age I was interested in medicine, but this career choice was solidified while serving as a missionary for my church in Hungary. I enjoyed helping individuals work towards making their life better, finding happiness, and knew I would pursue a career that would offer similar fulfillment. I was born in Albuquerque, and except for my time in Hungary, I have spent my entire life in this area. I graduated from the University of New Mexico (UNM) with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I attended medical school at UNM, and stayed there to complete a 4-year residency in Anesthesiology, followed by a 1-year fellowship in Chronic Pain Medicine. I am board certified in Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. I have over 9 years of clinic experience.
I am married and have 4 children. My family is the joy of my life. I am a huge fan of all UNM sports teams and especially follow the Lobo Men's Basketball team. I am proud to be part of the unique culture that Albuquerque offers, and I am passionate about helping members of my community. My hobbies include basketball, yard work, and golf. My dream is to one day play a round of golf at Augusta National where the Masters is played yearly.
My vision is to offer efficient care with short wait times in an environment where the patient is involved in their treatment plan. I want to make sure that patients not only receive my services, but build a network with other specialists to address the other issues contributing to chronic pain.
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