Infusion therapy could be the answer to controlling your pain. You may benefit from infusion therapy if:
Infusion therapy is a type of intravenous (IV) therapy in which your medical provider administers the medications you need straight into your bloodstream.
Infusion therapy bypasses your gastrointestinal system altogether. Infusion therapy may be your only choice if the medication you need is compromised by stomach acid.
Our expert rheumatologists at the Rheumatology Center of New Jersey offer infusion therapies for rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteoporosis, and other conditions at our three New Jersey offices. If your doctor recommends infusion therapy, here are five compelling facts you need to know.
If you have a fear of needles, you may be reluctant to sit attached to an IV for an hour or more. But rest assured that infusion therapy is pain-free. We may recommend taking a painkiller, such as acetaminophen before your treatment.
You sit comfortably in a chair while you receive your infusion therapy. You can listen to music, meditate, read, or use your smartphone. Most infusion therapies only take about an hour — including setup — but a few take up to four hours to complete.
At the Rheumatology Center of New Jersey, we only recommend infusion therapies that are clinically proven to offer relief from pain and inflammation. Some infusion therapies calm your immune system. Others help you build new bone.
The drugs we offer as infusion therapies include:
Your rheumatologist may recommend infusion therapy to replace or supplement your current medication regimen.
When you take a medication orally, it must be processed by your GI system. That’s why you may not feel any symptom relief for at least 20-30 minutes. With IV therapy, the medication is delivered into a vein, so your circulatory system can distribute it immediately to your tissues and joints.
Infusion therapy, therefore, alleviates your symptoms more quickly than oral medications. And because nothing is lost to or compromised by digestion, more of the medication is available to do its work.
Conditions that may benefit from IV therapy include:
Infusion therapy may be appropriate for other inflammatory conditions, too. Unlike oral medications, IV therapies produce few to no side effects.
While certain kinds of infusion therapies — such as nonprescription vitamin infusions — aren’t covered by insurance, we prescribe FDA-cleared infusion therapies to help our patients heal and grow stronger. Most insurance policies cover prescribed infusion therapies.
If you’re not sure whether your insurance will pay for your infusion therapy, contact them directly. We can provide them with a prescription to ensure you get the reimbursement to which you’re entitled.
In addition to being short-acting, infusion therapy is long-lasting. You may only need to come for infusion therapy once a month, several times a year, or just once a year. We let you know what schedule is best for your condition.
To find out if infusion therapy is right for you, call our nearest location in Somerville, Flemington, or Monroe, New Jersey. You can also request an appointment using our online tool.
