By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll have a good grasp on how IVs work and what they’re used for. You’ll also learn about cutting-edge uses for IVs and why they’re growing in popularity.

What is an IV?

IVs are soft, flexible tubes placed inside a vein by way of a needle. They’re typically inserted into the hand or arm.

IVs are used to give someone a specially formulated medicine or fluids.

They’re typically used in a hospital setting, although at-home IV services are becoming more and more popular.

The steps for administering an IV are:

1. The vein is found.
2. An elastic band is tied above the vein.
3. The skin is cleaned.
4. A thin plastic tube is inserted into the vein via a needle.
5. The needle is removed while the tube remains.
6. The tube is taped to hold it in place.

IVs deliver medicine straight to the bloodstream, so they’re the fastest and most effective way to get medication into someone’s body.

Reasons to get an IV

Let’s talk about some of the reasons you may get an IV.

Dehydration

Dehydration takes place when you lose more fluids than you consume. When you’re dehydrated, your body lacks the fluids needed to carry out its functions. 

Dehydration is common on hot days when people don’t drink enough water. It’s also common when people exercise heavily but don’t replenish the liquid they lost from sweating.

Signs of dehydration include:

• Muscle cramps
• Headache
• Dry skin
• Dark urine
• Infrequent urination
• Dry mouth
• Thirst

Mild dehydration can be solved by drinking water and electrolytes, but more severe dehydration requires an IV.

You need to go to the ER to get an IV if you have:

• Poor skin elasticity
• Irritability
• Low energy
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• A rapid heartbeat

To treat severe dehydration, an IV will be inserted into your vein and you’ll be treated with a combination of water, electrolytes, and salt.

Now that we’ve covered dehydration, surgery is up next.

Surgery

There are plenty of different kinds of surgeries. Some reasons for getting a surgery include:

• Pain prevention
• Improving body function
• Finding a problem
• Saving your life

For all of these reasons, some of the most common surgeries are:

• Joint replacement
• Broken bone repair
• Hysterectomy
• Gallbladder removal
• Heart bypass surgery

IVs are a vital resource for surgeons. They administer fluids, antibiotics, pain medications, and anesthesia.

Anesthesia prevents you from feeling pain during surgery. General anesthesia will make you unconscious for your surgery. 

Unlike topical anesthesia, general anesthesia is administered using IVs. It’s used when doctors are operating on internal organs or are performing a long procedure.

Having an IV during surgery will also keep you hydrated and maintain blood sugar levels. Doctors may also give you warmed up fluids to keep your body temperature up.

IVs make surgeries much less dangerous. Let’s move on to malnutrition.

Malnutrition

Malnutrition is when you have deficiencies or imbalances in your nutrient intake. Malnutrition can result in stunting, wasting, being underweight, and a lack of micronutrients.

Nearly half a billion adults in the world are underweight because of malnutrition. Appearance, body fat distribution, organ function, and behavior can be indicators that someone is malnourished.

To investigate malnourishment, X-rays can be used to look at bone density while blood and urine samples can measure vitamins and minerals. Intravenous feeding is used to treat malnourishment using an IV. 

Unlike IVs that are used just for liquid, this kind of IV is a large tube inserted into a large vein. The tube is larger than usual because it’s carrying more than just fluid. 

Treating malnourishment with an IV can be done both in hospitals and at-home settings.

Intravenous feeding may be required:

• When your digestive tract isn’t functioning
• During pancreatitis
• If there’s a blockage in your intestine
• If you have short bowel syndrome

Another reason why people use IVs is for medication administration.

Medication administration

Some medications need to be given through an IV.

IVs are used for medications that need to be given slowly and consistently. They’re a great way to control giving drugs over time.

Some drugs are given via IV because oral administration wouldn’t work. For example, some drugs would get broken down by enzymes in your body and would become less effective.

This way of giving medication slowly is called IV infusion. There are two main kinds:

Pump infusion. Pump infusion is the most popular method in the United States. There’s a pump that attaches to your IV line. It slowly and steadily administers the medication with precise dosage.

Drip infusion. Drip infusion uses gravity to give the medication. The medication drips from a bag into a tube and then into your catheter.

IV drug administration has plenty of advantages compared to other administration methods, including:

• The best drug availability with minimal delay
• Best administration rate control
• You can stop the infusion if unexpected side effects occur
• Compounds that the gastrointestinal tract don’t absorb well will be absorbed better by the blood
• Compounds that are painful when injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly are less painful through IVs

The last reason people use IVs is for emergency medication.

Emergency medication

Sometimes you need an immediate IV to treat a dire condition. Some conditions that require emergency medication include:

• Anaphylaxis
• Poisoning
• Overdose
• Excessive loss of fluids or bleeding
• Trauma
• Stroke
• Heart attack

Let’s go through some examples of emergency medications.

The quicker you’re administered a thrombolytic drug after a heart attack, the higher your chances are at survival. Heparin helps avoid blood clotting and is provided via IV.

Narcan is given through IVs for overdose. IVs are the quickest way to get Narcan into the bloodstream.

If you’re experiencing severe blood loss, you’ll get an IV with isotonic fluids in it. Isotonic fluids mimic blood.

While these are all reasons that people get IVs, there’s also a new kind of IV therapy surfacing. Enter: IV therapy that can treat anything ranging from low energy to hangovers to immunity!

The growing popularity of IV therapy

IV therapy is an industry that has seen explosive growth and it is not hard to see why. IV therapy can help with hangover relief, overall health, beauty, and more! 

When it comes to choosing an IV therapy provider there is only one choice, Reset IV.

When you use our services you will choose your treatment based on your symptoms. Our team will also personalize your IV treatment by adding extra vitamins as needed.

Let’s talk about some of the things that our IV therapy packages treat.

Reset IV is the go-to method for hangover relief. When you regret everything you did the night before, Reset IV can help you get ready to face the day ahead.

We can also provide you with a powerhouse of antioxidants to help you avoid getting the seasonal bug. With super doses of your B-Complex and Vitamin C, you can be confident when leaving your door.

Feeling stressed? Reset IV has an incredible relaxation package to help you hold the reins again on your body and mind.

If you’re low on energy, Reset IV can treat your fatigue and give you the energy you need. With Vitamin B12, Taurine, and Caffeine being pumped directly into your veins, you’re bound to feel wide awake after this treatment!

We’ve just scratched the surface of what Reset IV can do. With dozens of packages, you’re sure to find what you need.