Getting a prescription for infusion therapy can be confusing. But, when you already have an underlying health condition, the last thing you want is to worry about something else. How is it? Will it hurt? How long will each session last? All these questions are understandable. The answer is important for your peace of mind, as well as providing comfort to your loved ones. So what exactly is infusion therapy? But what can you expect?
What is infusion therapy?
Infusion therapy—also known as IV therapy—involves administering medication through an intravenous line. This is done by inserting a needle directly into the patient's arm. It allows for more effective treatment of chronic diseases by delivering drugs, antibiotics, and/or hydration directly into the bloodstream. Hence, the acceptance rate is high and you can get help quickly.
IV therapy can be used to treat a wide variety of chronic conditions, such as:
- Hyperemesis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Gout
- Psoriasis
- Lupus
- Dermatomyositis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Primary immune deficiency diseases (PIDDs)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Magnesium deficiency
- Multiple sclerosis
- Opioid and alcohol dependence
- Post-operative hydration
How Infusion Therapy Works?
Your IV nutrition solution can be tailored to your needs. Just as our providers can supplement your IV drip with nutrients your body is lacking, we can use this treatment to replenish your body with more nutrients to help you fight your cold than most available over-the-counter medications are faster to do. for the purpose itself. When you swallow vitamins in gum or pill form, your stomach must break down the contents before your system can use them, limiting the number of nutrients your body can use. But with IV therapy, your body absorbs nutrients faster and more fully, so you get better results. Even if you are not deficient in the nutrients that your body needs for good health, this treatment raises the levels of vitamins and minerals in your blood, which often results in these substances being taken up into your cells. This greatly facilitates the process of combating the disease. Intravenous infusion therapy is a safe and effective anti-disease method. It can also treat jet lag and hangovers, reduce inflammation, and help with everything from fibromyalgia to anxiety and depression.
Is Infusion Therapy Safe?
Infusion therapy is a medical treatment that involves injecting drugs or other therapeutic agents directly into the body, usually through a catheter into a vein. It is most commonly used to treat conditions such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, and chronic pain. Although infusion therapy is generally considered safe when administered in a sterile environment by a trained healthcare professional, there are potential risks associated with such therapy. This article discusses the safety of infusion therapy and the potential risks associated with it.
Can IV therapy help with hydration?
An IV can be lifesaving for a patient who is severely dehydrated, malnourished, or suffering from a severe infection. But many experts say there's no reason to get essentially invasive treatment unless your doctor recommends it. "Intravenous hydration is a good thing for people who really need it," says Robert H. Schmerling, MD, a senior faculty editor at Harvard Health Publishing who studies intravenous therapy. "When it comes to these on-demand IVs, the short answer is, 'Buyer beware.' They're expensive, and they don't significantly help in any scientific, proven way."
While it's true that IVs can rehydrate faster than oral fluids, "it doesn't necessarily provide any health benefits," Schmerling said.
A review study published in the journal Sports Health found no evidence that giving athletes intravenous fluids improves performance or helps them rehydrate compared to oral fluids.
"If you can drink water and your digestive system is working properly, that's the best way to get them," Schmerling says. If you are too sick or too old to meet your body's fluid needs with alcohol, you should go to a medical facility, he added.
Not regulated by the FDA
However, IV therapy requires more than simple hydration. At most clinics, you can choose from a variety of blends depending on your goals. There are various shakes to cure hangovers, boost the immune system, increase energy, aid recovery from exercise, treat jet lag, improve skin, flush out toxins, and prevent signs of aging.
There is little evidence to support any of these benefits, and the clinics are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, Schmerling said. "Marketing is already ahead of science."
In fact, most clinics include some variation of this disclaimer on their websites and marketing materials: "Services offered have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Names or references to treatments are for marketing purposes only."
One of the few controlled clinical trials comparing IV vitamin therapy to a placebo found that fibromyalgia patients experienced less soreness and pain after receiving a specific infusion called the Myers cocktail, a mixture of magnesium, calcium, and vitamin A. Dr. John Myers. But here's the catch: study participants who were injected with only saline reported the same positive results, suggesting a "strong placebo effect," the study authors wrote.
Other risks abound
If you decide to try IV therapy, make sure you receive it in a safe, clean environment. Also, ask who will be giving your IV and how much experience they have, suggests Torbati. As you stick a needle in your arm, you may experience pain or bruising, or in rare cases, an infection or inflammation of the veins. Elderly patients tend to have smaller veins, so it is more difficult to administer IVs in people over 65 than in younger people. "The weaker you are and the more complex your body is, the more cautious I am about trying these things," Torbati said.
It's also important to ask exactly which substances enter your body. Some of the drops contain anti-inflammatory or anti-nausea medications that can cause allergic reactions or interact with medications the patient is currently taking, Torbati said. Other infusions include prescription drugs such as ketorolac and lidocaine, which can cause life-threatening side effects in some patients, according to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. In 2018, supermodel Kendall Jenner was reportedly hospitalized after having an adverse reaction to Myers' vitamin IV drip cocktail, according to news reports.
The takeaway
Although IV drips are low-risk for most healthy people, medical experts generally discourage their use, primarily because they are expensive and unnecessary. Vitamin drops range from $79 for first-time deals at some clinics to hundreds of dollars for home-delivered specialty shakes from mobile vendors. "There's nothing magical about giving vitamins intravenously," Torbati said. “If you want extra nutrition, take vitamins. Take Motrin if you have a headache. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on an IV, you can pay a penny a pill and get the same benefits. "
In conclusion
while infusion treatments are generally considered safe when properly carried out according to certain safety protocols outlined above this form of medical care certainly carries its own set of potential side effects which need to be taken into account beforehand to ensure everything goes smoothly without unexpected consequences occurring down the road afterward so it’s imperative to exercise caution whenever deciding undergo form treatment no matter severity condition might currently be suffering from make sure receive best possible outcome desired without having worry about unanticipated consequences arising out it later Furthermore experienced clinicians who know exactly what they doing always preferable go if considering undergoing type procedure order avoid risk falling victim inadequate treatments which ultimately lead more problems later rather than providing actual benefit initially intended to alleviate.
Reference: My smart clinic AARP
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