Gone are the days when intravenous (IV) drip therapy was reserved for in-patients. Today, healthy people enjoy IV therapy Alamo Heights to get the vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and medications they need to feel better. IV therapy delivers nutrients and other substances directly into your bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system, which would otherwise reduce the number of fluids your body can absorb. Read on to learn about this minimally invasive treatment.
What happens during IV therapy?
During an IV therapy session, your healthcare provider will choose a vein where they will insert the cannula. It may be at the back of your hand, forearm, or wrist. Sometimes locating a vein may be difficult; in such cases, your provider may use an ultrasound scan to guide the needle. After finding the vein, your doctor sanitizes the area before inserting a fine needle attached to the cannula. Using adhesive tape, your provider holds the cannula in place. You may feel a small prick as your provider inserts the needle, but the discomfort should pass quickly.
The healthcare professional uses tubing to connect the cannula to the IV and will regularly check to ensure fluid flows properly, and you have no swelling or pain in the area. You can read a book, watch a video or take a quick nap during this time. After the session, your provider disconnects the cannula from the tubing and removes it from your vein. After removing the cannula, they will apply pressure on the insertion wound to slow any bleeding and dress the area using cotton and adhesive tape. Most IV infusions take less than an hour and require no downtime, meaning you can resume your everyday activities immediately. If you require subsequent IV sessions, your healthcare provider will leave the cannula in place.
What are the benefits of IV therapy?
Intravenous therapy delivers nutrients, medications, or fluids directly into your bloodstream, ensuring a quick recovery. It is a quick way to cure dehydration symptoms such as headache and fatigue, especially when severely dehydrated.
IV hydration is also highly efficient because it allows the body to absorb 100% of what it needs before passing the rest to the kidneys to be flushed out because IV therapy bypasses the gastrointestinal system. It also makes it easier to provide medication to specific organs quickly.
As mentioned, your healthcare professional will leave the cannula in place if you need regular IV treatments. This eliminates the need to insert a needle to deliver more fluids repeatedly.
How safe is IV therapy?
As with most medical techniques, there is usually a flip side to good news. Like with any injectable, you face the risk of an infection since the puncture in your skin opens up your body to outside pathogens. You may have slight pain, bruising, redness, or inflammation around the injection site, but this is normal and a sign that your immune system is in check. Fortunately, any discomfort is short-lived and rarely lasts up to several days.
If you have questions about IV therapy, consult your healthcare provider at the Center of Advanced Wellness.
