A Guide to IV Infusion Therapy for Patients

Posted by Zoe Liberty on September 24th, 2021

Infusion therapy is when you receive medication through a needle or catheter, usually intravenously (IV). Other types of infusion therapy include epidural, intramuscular, and subcutaneous. Some drugs can’t be taken orally because they lose their effectiveness when exposed to your digestive system. Infusion therapy is an alternative when there’s no comparable oral therapy or when you’re unable to take oral medication. If you have spent some time in a hospital, you probably had an IV to make sure you stayed hydrated and to have other medications delivered quickly, if required. That’s a type of infusion therapy. IV Infusion Near Me can also be used to deliver nutrition as well as different medications such as antibiotics, antiemetics, antifungals, antivirals, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and others.

What can you expect?

IV infusion therapy typically takes place in a doctor’s office, hospital, outpatient facility, or infusion center. Some types of infusion therapy can be given by healthcare providers in the home.

Each IV session means new needle sticks. So, if you’re expected to need multiple IV therapy sessions, your doctor can recommend alternatives to a standard IV line. Another alternative is to have a port surgically implanted under your skin. In future treatments, the needle can be inserted into the port to access the vein without sticking you. The port will be surgically removed after you’ve completed all your treatments. Whatever the setting, IV therapy is administered by nurses or other trained medical professionals. The procedure requires careful monitoring, so if the process is going to take more than a few minutes, there is usually some sort of control mechanism attached to the line to ensure proper delivery. Frequent or remote monitoring always accompanies infusion therapy.

Depending on the medication, it may be pre-prepared or prepared just before use.

If the infusion is expected to take several hours in an outpatient setting, you’ll typically be offered a reclining chair. You can bring reading materials, blankets, or other items to help you feel comfortable.

Risks of IV Infusion Near Me

Sometimes, a needle can become dislodged, allowing the medication to get into surrounding tissues. With some medications, this can be harmful. Other risks depend on the type of medications you’re receiving. Any new medication can cause your body to react strongly. If you’re going to have a reaction, it typically happens the first time you get a particular treatment. Your doctor will be explaining the potential risks of your therapy and the signs to watch for. The signs of infusion reaction typically include cough, facial flushing, fever, chills, headache, itching, muscle or joint pain, and stiffness. Apart from this, nausea, rash or hives, shortness of breath, swelling of hands, legs, ankles, or feet, swelling of the tongue, lips, or eyelids can also take place. So, before starting infusion therapy, let your doctor know about all the medications you’re taking as well as dietary and herbal supplements, as these can interact.

Sun Health Center is an outpatient treatment provider that specializes in brain optimization and mental health services including neurotherapy, Teletherapy, and IV therapies in Deerfield Beach (sunhealthcenter.com/iv-therapy/), Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Hillsboro Beach, Coconut Creek, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and surrounding areas. To know more, visit https://sunhealthcenter.com/about-us/.