What is IV Therapy?

Intravenous therapy (IV), also known as intravenous hydration, drips, or injections, is a medical practice that involves putting liquids directly into your veins. The most common IV treatment administered in emergency departments across America, for example, are bags of saline water that rehydrate severely dehydrated patients. IVs can deliver any number of medications, such as antibiotics, painkillers, sedatives, vitamins, and minerals.

Why Choose Them Over Other Therapies?

Infusion therapy utilizes saline water, medications, vitamins, and minerals to rehydrate an individual while pumping them full of important nutrients. It’s most commonly associated with chemotherapy, but infusions have many other uses. Individuals suffering from acute illness or sports injuries can also benefit from intravenous therapy. While patients often receive large amounts of medication in hours through an IV infusion, the treatment is completely safe. Receiving medication through IV instead of orally means that your body absorbs it much faster than normal, reducing side effects and giving you quick relief.

Recovery Timeline

The length of time required for recovery varies depending on several factors, including your overall health, medication being received, and risk factors. IV therapy varies greatly, so recovery will also vary depending on what you receive. If you’re just getting a vitamin boost or some fluids, you could be back to normal quickly. On the other hand, if you’re receiving chemotherapy treatment or a blood transfusion, recovery could take days for the effects of the medicine to wear off. It’s important to speak with your doctor about how long you’ll need to recover before resuming normal activities.