Intravenous Therapy – Dr Wendy Davis ND

Intravenous Therapy


IV Therapy
 

What is IV Therapy?

Intravenous (IV) vitamin and mineral therapy is a safe and powerful healing tool. Often by the time symptoms of disease have made their appearance, the body is so far out of balance that taking vitamins and minerals orally does not make a big difference, or the difference they make is slow and gradual. IV vitamin and mineral therapy allows us to speed up the healing process. IV therapy consists of a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients specifically selected for a patient’s condition and are administered directly into the vein.
 

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When our cells are healthy and happy we eat our food and take our multi-vitamins and our cells admit all these nutrients via a process called active transport. When cells become sick, they no longer have the energy to transport nutrients inside. The cell needs nutrients inside to make it healthy again, however the cell is too sick to transport these nutrients in sufficient quantity and it remains unhealthy. If you administer nutrients in a high concentration you force those nutrients into the cell by means of a concentration gradient, without needing or expending energy and therefore help the cells become nourished and healthy again. Healthy cells mean a healthy body!

Why not just take oral vitamins and supplements?

There are several good reasons why your ND might prescribe IV therapy over oral supplements:

  • Many people don’t absorb vitamins very well through their digestive system. Much of what you take orally never finds its way into your bloodstream, particularly if you have digestive troubles, or are taking medications. IV therapy ensures that nutrients get to where they’re needed.
  • Your digestive system can have a hard time with high doses of vitamins. Taking large doses of vitamin C orally, for example, might upset your stomach—with IV therapy, your body can tolerate much higher (and more helpful) amounts.
  • Your body can access the nutrients better when they’re in your bloodstream, and that means IV’s can often give us better results, faster.

Does it hurt?

We use a very small needle to insert the catheter, and that needle is removed right away, leaving just a small, flexible tube for the duration of your treatment. If you experience any discomfort during the treatment, it can normally be remedied just by slowing down the rate at which the IV drips.

Is it safe?

Side effects and complications are quite rare. Most people tolerate IV therapy quite well, and have no trouble during or after the treatment. You might have some redness where the IV goes in, or a bit of tenderness, but it’s actually quite comfortable

How long does it take?

It depends on what type of IV you receive, but a treatment can be as short as 20 minutes, or as long as an hour or more.

What kind of conditions can be treated with IV therapy?

IV therapy is used in a broad range of conditions, from fibromyalgia and immune boosting, to cancer care and neurological disorders. IV’s are also used to boost energy, improve surgical recovery, improve sports performance, and relieve everyday complaints like headaches, allergies, fatigue & stress.

IV Resources

Intravenous Vitamin C in Cancer Management

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1534735414534463

Intravenous Nutrient Therapy: The Myers Cocktail 

Intravenous Ascorbate and Oncologic Agents>

Intravenous Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

2019 IVC, HDIVC, Antioxidants and Chemotherapy, Radiation Update