Infusion therapy is a type of treatment in which fluids are administered through a needle or catheter. It’s an effective method of delivering life-saving medication that can’t be ingested orally, or that needs to be administered at a controlled rate. Infusion therapy can be intravenous as well as intramuscular, subcutaneous, and epidural. When a patient is unable to take oral medication, this treatment option is used.
Infusion treatment is used to deliver nutrition and many types of medications such as antibiotics, antiemetics, antivirals, chemotherapy, corticosteroids, growth hormones, and immunotherapy. It’s an ideal treatment option when medication needs to be slowly or rapidly delivered into the bloodstream. IV infusion therapy is used in life-or-death situations such as anaphylactic shock, heart attack, and stroke.
When is IV therapy used?
Infusion therapy is a common treatment option for cancer patients. It allows for chemotherapy drugs to be delivered directly into the bloodstream. IV infusion treatment effectively treats autoimmune disorders, congestive heart failure, dehydration, immune deficiencies, and pain. Specific conditions include Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, lupus, psoriasis, and psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis.
Infusion treatment has proven effective at treating a range of complex medical conditions including cancer, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, and Crohn’s disease. The specialists at Regional Cancer Care Associates utilize IV infusion therapy to treat cancer patients and those with chronic medical conditions. This type of therapy is especially beneficial for patients who suffer from side effects that make it impossible to eat or drink without vomiting. It’s also beneficial for patients who can’t take oral medications because stomach acids will compromise their effectiveness.
What are the benefits of IV therapy?
The faster that medication, nutrients, and vitamins are delivered into the bloodstream, the sooner they can start working. IV drips ensure that the body absorbs 100 percent of the medication, nutrients, and vitamins with minimal waste. It helps improve your overall wellness by boosting immunity and energy levels, improving depression and anxiety, reducing migraine symptoms, accelerating the wound healing process, and improving cognitive function.
Having a proper pain management plan following surgery helps kickstart the healing process and reduces the recovery time. Patients typically receive IV pain medication, antibiotics, fluids, and anesthesia via a catheter directly into the vein before surgery. IV medications are also administered post-surgery to alleviate discomfort when waking up. At-home post-surgical care usually includes the use of ice packs, rehabilitative physical activity, cleaning of the incision site, and the use of prescription and over-the-counter pain medication.
Suffering from an accident or injury that results in chipped, broken, or loose teeth can instantly change your smile. Broken bones, damage to soft tissue, and disfigurement of the mouth, jaw, and face can also result from an accident or injury. The general dentists and oral surgeons at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine use the latest techniques in dental treatment recovery. They offer a range of dental treatments, including dentures and implants, root canals, gum disease, tooth extraction, reconstructive oral surgery, and discomfort from facial trauma.
There is a risk of reactions and side effects
Infusion treatment is typically administered in an inpatient setting due to the risk of certain reactions and side effects. Most infusion treatments have a low risk for reactions, but this depends on the dosage of the medication and existing medical conditions. It’s possible to experience a reaction on the first day of treatment, such as itching, a rash, swelling of the tongue, lips, or eyes, redness on the face, fever or chills, nausea, muscle or joint pain, edema, and shortness of breath.
Most immunotherapy reactions and side effects occur after treatment. Common reactions post-treatment include inflammation of the colon, lungs, or liver, changes in the function of the endocrine system, arthritis, muscle pain or weakness, and numbness of the extremities.
Talk to your doctor about the best option for pain management following a surgical procedure. The shorter the recovery period, the sooner you can resume your normal activities.
