Should Infusion Therapy Be Part of My Health and Wellness Plan?

Nobody enjoys the sensation of getting stuck with a needle for blood draws or administering medications, but this has been a part of medicine for a very long time. Going as far back as 2,000 years ago we used simple tools to apply creams and ointments, but we didn't get the modern version of the hypodermic needle until 1844 when Francis Rynd developed it. 

Intravenous (IV) infusion is a method to deliver medicine that was also in development centuries ago, with the first successful but primitive device being invented by Sir Christopher Wren in the 17th century, which paved the way for what we use now. Infusion therapy is a normal part of medical care today, and here we’ll go over its benefits for your health.

If you live in the Norwood, Anderson, or Westside, Ohio, or Crestview Hills, Kentucky, area and need a direct system of delivering medicine like infusion therapy, the team of doctors at Riverhills Neuroscience can help.

Understanding infusion therapy

The intravenous application is often done by inserting a needle into the targeted vein and then placing a catheter to maintain a steady flow of fluids. If someone needs blood, saline, or other fluids after coming into the emergency room (ER), some form of infusion therapy is being used to administer it.

Infusion therapy is also common for insulin (using a pump that infuses the hormone for diabetics), antibiotics, antiemetics, antifungals, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and corticosteroids.

Types of infusion therapy

IV therapy is a common way fluids can be applied, but there are several other methods, such as:

Epidural

This treatment inserts into the lower back, specifically the spinal nerves, to block pain signals from being sent to the brain. This can be done with pain relievers, numbing agents, or steroids to reduce inflammation.

Intramuscular

With this therapy the needle is inserted into the muscular tissue, and is used for vaccines, hormone therapy, antibiotics, and antibodies (immunoglobulin).

Subcutaneous

This is done by placing the needle in the fat underneath your skin in areas like the upper thighs, stomach, buttocks, lower back, and upper arms. This is used for insulin therapy, opioids, allergy treatments, and treating blood clots (heparin).

Intraosseous 

This temporary method goes into the bone marrow using the sternum, arm, or leg when access to rapid veins is not an option. Examples include a patient suffering blood loss from major trauma, which can make it harder to get a needle into a vein.

Advantages of infusion therapy

Infusing fluids and medications directly into your bloodstream offers more control of the dosage you receive. This has several advantages, such as faster absorption, getting medicine to people who can’t ingest pills, and helping people who recently had bariatric surgery get nutrients. It also helps people with other digestive issues, like dealing with food poisoning, dehydration, or recovery from heavy alcohol consumption.

Infusion therapy can give us many options when it comes to administering medicine, as well as help treat problems like lupus, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), migraine, neuropathy, immune deficiencies, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).

If you need infusion therapy as part of your treatment, call our nearest office to make an appointment with the team of doctors at Riverhills Neuroscience today.