Are you feeling run down, exhausted, or in constant pain?

Visiting an infusion clinic could provide the relief you need.

Infusion therapy delivers medication into your bloodstream for a faster, more potent effect. Treatments range from antibiotics to chemotherapy, benefiting many chronic and acute conditions.

Are you ready to learn more? Let’s explore how infusion clinics can help improve your health.

Chemotherapy Infusion for Cancer

Cancer treatment often involves chemotherapy, which uses anti-cancer drugs like taxanes, anthracyclines, and antimetabolites to destroy malignant cells.

Doctors traditionally administer chemotherapy orally or by injection, but they can also deliver it intravenously.

Chemotherapy infusion allows higher doses of medications like paclitaxel and doxorubicin over shorter time frames through infusion pumps. This minimizes side effects while maximizing cancer-fighting benefits.

Patients receive treatment in outpatient infusion clinics instead of hospital stays for cancers, including breast, lung, leukemia, and lymphoma.

The advantages of chemotherapy infusion include:

  • More convenient outpatient setting
  • Shorter treatment times
  • Less nausea and vomiting
  • Lower risk of infection

By offering chemotherapy infusion, clinics provide a more comfortable, effective cancer care option.

The good news is infusion services aren’t just for cancer treatments. Many diseases are well-suited for IV therapy instead of oral medicine.

Anemia Treatment With IV Treatments

Anemia occurs when you lack enough healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen. Symptoms like fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath can result.

Iron deficiency, heavy periods, pregnancy, blood loss, kidney disease, and other conditions cause anemia. It’s often treated with iron supplements or diet changes.

However, oral iron supplements have low absorption rates, which result in gastrointestinal side effects.

IV iron infusions like Injectafer allow rapid restoration of iron levels and full replacement doses within a few visits. Patients report improved energy within 1-2 weeks. Benefits include:

  • Faster increase in hemoglobin/iron levels
  • Better absorption than oral iron
  • Fewer side effects like constipation
  • Convenient outpatient administration

Infusion services deliver the iron you need to combat anemia quickly.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes painful swelling and joint damage. While no cure exists, medications can ease symptoms and slow progression.

Doctors often prescribe disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Traditional DMARDs like methotrexate can take weeks to work. Plus, they come with side effects.

But biologic DMARD infusions like Humira, Enbrel, and Remicade offer more immediate relief with less frequent dosing. These anti-TNF proteins target overactive immune responses to reduce inflammation. Benefits include:

  • Quick reduction in inflammation
  • Less pain and stiffness
  • Slowing of joint damage
  • Improved mobility and function
  • Low risk of side effects

By infusing biologic DMARDs, infusion services deliver fast RA relief.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to chronic conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis that cause gastrointestinal inflammation. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, and digestive issues result.

While treatment options exist, IBD is incurable. However, patients can achieve extended periods of remission.

Biologic IV infusions like Remicade, Humira, and Entyvio are game-changers for IBD relief. These drugs calm inflammation and induce remission faster than aminosalicylates. Benefits include:

  • Rapid symptom relief
  • Higher remission rates
  • Reduced need for steroids/surgery
  • Improved quality of life
  • Low occurrence of side effects

Infusion therapy offers life-changing IBD treatment minus the frequent pills or injections.

Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder causing widespread inflammation and tissue damage. Symptoms come and go in flares, including joint pain, rashes, fatigue, and fever.

Managing lupus aims to reduce flares and prevent complications. Alongside steroids, immunosuppressants like azathioprine keep the immune system in check.

But regular IV Benlysta (belimumab) has become a game changer for stubborn lupus. Inhibiting the B cell protein BLyS reduces disease activity and flares. Benefits include:

  • Decreased joint/skin problems
  • Reduced risk of organ damage
  • Improved energy levels
  • Lower steroid requirements
  • Infrequent infusion schedule

With belimumab infusions, those with lupus can better control their disease.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis weakens bones, increasing fracture risk. Oral bisphosphonates can help, but they come with strict dosing guidelines. Noncompliance increases when patients must avoid food/drink before and after taking the pills.

But IV bisphosphonates like Reclast (zoledronic acid) offer an osteoporosis breakthrough. The annual 15-30 minute infusion improves adherence. Benefits include:

  • Much lower fracture rates
  • Increased bone density
  • Improved compliance vs oral dosing
  • No need to take on an empty stomach
  • A quick and convenient IV administration

Infusion therapy promotes adherence and lasting osteoporosis relief, even for fragile bones.

Graves’ Disease

Graves’ disease leads to thyroid problems. It can sometimes lead to a disfiguring eye disease called Graves’ Disease. Symptoms include eye bulging, pain, and vision issues.

High-dose IV steroids are the first-line treatment. However, steroid side effects can occur. Immunosuppressants like Rituxan/MabThera (rituximab) are emerging as safer, steroid-sparing alternatives.

Rituximab infusions benefit patients by:

  • Reducing eye bulge/swelling
  • Improving eye motility
  • Decreasing dry eye symptoms
  • Lessening eye pain/light sensitivity
  • Allowing lower steroid doses
  • Preventing disease progression

For suffering eyes, infusion clinics offer promising new treatments.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) damages the central nervous system. Disease-modifying therapies slow progression but with injection/infusion side effects.

Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) IV infusion represents an innovative option for stubborn MS. It resets the immune system to halt inflammatory damage. Benefits include:

  • 50% fewer relapses than interferon beta-1a
  • Delayed disability progression
  • Improved MRI lesion reduction
  • Convenient annual dosing schedule
  • Most patients are relapse-free after two courses

Lemtrada infusion gives MS patients longer reprieves between treatments.

Severe Asthma

For severe asthma uncontrolled by medications, biologic IV infusions like Xolair, Nucala, and Cinqair boost relief. These drugs lower immune system responses that cause attacks.

Benefits of anti-asthma biologic infusions include:

  • 50%+ decrease in exacerbations
  • Reduced ER visits/hospitalizations
  • Lower oral steroid requirements
  • Improved breathing and quality of life
  • Convenient outpatient administration

Difficult-to-control asthma improves thanks to IV infusion breakthroughs.

Find Infusion Clinics in Augusta, GA

Whether fighting cancer, autoimmune disorders, or brittle bones, infusion clinics offer life-changing benefits, often with fewer side effects than traditional treatment. Convenient outpatient settings and quick visit times also keep life disruption minimal.

IV infusions provide transformative solutions for many conditions at the AO Multispecialty Clinic.

To learn more about our extensive in-house infusion services, contact us today. You can discover how infusion therapy can help you or your loved one live fully.