Anemia is a condition that impacts roughly one in four people around the world. If you have a lower-than-normal red blood cell count, finding the right anemia treatment is essential for restoring normality to your life. Fortunately, there is a better alternative to some of the more traditional procedures on the market.
An iron infusion delivers a safe and convenient solution that boosts natural iron levels to combat the issues caused by anemia to help you unlock a healthier and happier future.
Iron infusion is an intravenous procedure that delivers iron supplementation to help patients manage their anemia or iron deficiencies. It produces a quicker response than alternative methods like dietary changes or iron supplement pills, which makes it a particularly useful anemia treatment for more severe cases of the condition.
The method used to deliver iron to the body is also known as IV or intravenous infusion. A small needle is connected to a vein before the iron solution uses a slow drip to introduce it to your body.
Unsurprisingly, the treatment is used to support anyone with anemia or major iron deficiencies. It is particularly useful for individuals that cannot take iron supplements orally or do not absorb properly due to issues with the gut or blood loss. It is also a good solution for patients that have lost blood due to cancer treatments, as well as anyone that has suffered impacts on hemoglobin production due to medications.
The iron infusion procedure is a fairly simple one. After completing all preparations, the doctor will use a tourniquet to make the vein easier to find before attaching the drip to your vein. The iron is then slowly fed into the body through the IV process via a catheter.
Iron is diluted with a saline solution and uses gravity to flow from its storage bag into the arm or hand courtesy of the catheter. In some cases, it may be pumped, but the slow-feed dip is traditionally seen as the better option for safety reasons while it additionally enables the doctor to monitor the levels.
Preparations for iron infusion anemia treatment are minimal. In fact, you can eat as normal and take your daily medications as required. Meanwhile, our spa-like facilities and compassionate team of experts ensure that your visit to Cochise Oncology is comfortable and stress-free. You will additionally want to wear comfy clothing, have water available, and take some reading material or an iPad for entertainment purposes.
You should, however, pay special attention to the doctor’s instructions on how to call for help in case of a bad reaction. Moreover, it may be deemed necessary to do a test dose over a five-minute period before performing the full iron infusion treatment.
An iron infusion session usually lasts for around 3 to 4 hours, as a slow infusion rate helps reduce the threat of any complications. Depending on the level of anemia treatment, it is possible that the session may be extended even longer.
Either way, it’s commonplace for multiple sessions to be needed over a period of a few weeks. Ultimately, the number will be determined by how long it takes for the body’s iron levels to reach the desired position. Your Cochise Oncology doctor will discuss this with you ahead of the treatment.
Iron infusion treatments do not require any downtime or recovery time, which is another reason for their popularity. While the side effects are primarily mild and temporary, it should be noted that headaches, nausea, itchiness, increased blood pressure, swelling, shortness of breath, and muscle pains are all fairly common.
In very rare circumstances, iron toxicity can occur, leading to serious health issues. However, the test dosage and slow drip attributes make it unlikely.
*Individual Results May Vary
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