IV therapy replenishes your body’s essential nutrients and boosts energy. Medically necessary IV treatments are typically administered in hospitals or infusion centers.
IV fluid can include saline solution, which provides hydration and maintains electrolyte balance, or solutions with glucose (sugar) or dextrose to provide the body with energy. Vitamins, minerals and amino acids may also be added to the IV fluid.
Hydration
Hydration during IV therapy helps replenish fluids that are lost when the body cannot hydrate well enough through drinking liquids or through intestinal absorption because of a medical condition. In hospital settings, IV drips are often used to administer medications that can’t be taken orally, to provide blood transfusions and to treat certain medical emergencies such as shock, severe infections and sepsis.
The sterile fluids used in IV therapy are called crystalloid solutions, which contain small dissolved molecules that pass easily from the bloodstream into tissues and cells. They include normal saline solution, D5W (water and dextrose [sugar]) and lactated Ringer’s solution. Medications such as anti-nausea drugs, pain relievers and fever reducers may also be added to the solution depending on the reason for treatment.
During the process, a health care provider disinfects the skin where the IV will go and then inserts a sterile needle into a vein. This can feel like a pinch. A tube connected to the needle is then threaded into a vein and the end of the tube is taped to the skin.
Nutrients
If you struggle with nutrient deficiency (often due to a poor diet or intestinal disease), IV therapy can help. Unlike oral vitamins, which may be diluted by stomach acid or excreted through urine, IV treatments deliver high concentrations of nutrients directly into the bloodstream.
Most vitamin IV formulas include Vitamin C, which strengthens your immune system and encourages radiant skin. They also contain B complex vitamins and magnesium, which nourish your nervous system. They may also contain glutathione, an antioxidant that quenches dangerous free radicals and binds to toxins so they can be eliminated.
Some IV formulas are designed to promote weight loss and boost your metabolism. They contain carnitine and alpha lipoic acid, which increase your mitochondria’s ability to burn fat for energy and improve your metabolic rate. They may also contain melon extract, which has been shown to suppress hunger and cravings for sugar. They can also include niacin, which helps lower cholesterol levels.
Boosting Immunity
Our bodies need a strong immune system to fight off foreign pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. Our IV blends hydrate and energize your body while stimulating the growth of white blood cells, which are responsible for fighting off illness and infections.
IV therapy delivers vitamins and minerals directly to the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive tract, so you get immediate results. It also reduces the time it takes for nutrients to reach the cells that need them, especially if you have a chronic condition such as Crohn’s disease, short bowel syndrome or cystic fibrosis.
The Immunity IV Treatment at Lake Urgent Care blends ascorbic acid (vitamin C), Olympia Vita Complex (B-Complex vitamins) and zinc chloride to promote maximum immune protection. Vitamin C has powerful antioxidant properties that can help prevent cell damage from free radicals. B-complex vitamins are important for healthy nerve function, normal metabolism and healthy immune systems. The magnesium in this formula helps relax blood vessels and lowers your blood pressure.
Pain Relief
IV therapy delivers vitamins and nutrients directly into your bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system. You’ll feel more hydrated, have more energy and get a boost in your immune system.
You’ll also experience targeted pain relief compared to over-the-counter medications. If you’re suffering from fibromyalgia, chronic regional pain syndrome, diabetic neuropathy or central pain from spinal cord injury, IV therapy can help alleviate your symptoms.
You can receive a custom IV treatment in-office from a reputable pain management clinic in Midtown, NY. A doctor will take a medical history and examine you before administering the drip, which usually lasts about an hour.
