Intravenous IV Nutrient Therapy
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POSTS / VIDEOS
Rethinking Your Diagnosis - Is It Really All That?
I've always hated labels. I never liked being categorized as a punk, or a raver, or a hip-hopper or whatever phase I was going through at the time.
I've generally avoided putting logos on my body. Shouldn't companies be paying me to advertise for them as opposed to the other way round?
This is true for me in medicine too. I hate diagnoses or medical labels. I know. I'm a doctor. I get you might think that is weird. I'll try to explain.
Doctors run tests so they can find a label to attach to your group of symptoms which becomes nothing more than a code in their charts. But what do names like chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia mean? Nothing more than the symptoms they describe.
You’re tired all the time and you have muscle pain. But didn't you already know that?
What about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS – which I prefer to call IBStress). Yep. Darn tooting (often literally) you already know this. What about atopic dermatitis? A skin inflammation due to an immune response. Great.
So what?
Knowing the label means the doctors can open their books and give you the proper drug for that disease. But this is utterly disrespectful to the body’s natural wisdom and inherent healing ability, what my naturopathic colleagues and I call the Vis Medicatrix Naturae.
What if you believed that your body had built in guidance system? What if you considered your symptoms as your body’s way of getting your attention?
But there are three problems
We're often not listening to the messages our bodies are trying to tell us.
We have no idea what the messages mean.
We get the message but feel resistant to the change.
I believe our emotional, mental, and physical symptoms are the way our bodies tell us that something in our life isn't working or going well.
Symptoms are just signals. They are the body saying “Hey! I need your care and focus over here.”
It could be the food we’re eating (or not eating), or the sleep you’re not getting. It could be the toxins in your cosmetics, personal care products, or your food. It could be your heart break, the stress of the job you don't love, or past traumas that are still haunting you. Ooh yeeah. These count too. It could be your beliefs or perceptions about your personal safety in the world. Or the water you’re drinking or not drinking. They way you’re moving or not moving your body.
The medical label or diagnosis ignores all of these legitimate possibilities.
Don’t be satisfied with the label. It’s not enough. Knowing it won’t cure you or heal you.
But what will?
Understanding the root causes of dis-ease and attentive acts of self care. There is nothing more holy or sacred than looking after yourself.
This involves conscious decisions about:
What you eat and drink
How you sleep
The air you breathe
How you wiggle around in this skin costume.
Stress reduction, and
Choosing a quiet practice that is just for you.
Labels paralyze. They stigmatize your prognosis, stagnate your energy, and limit your healing. With a label you become reliant on the cure. What if there is no cure to fix that label? Then you live a life suffering under that name. But at least you know the name, right?
Hog wash. The name doesn't matter. Getting the body back into balance does. “Well I have been diagnosed with... the doctors say I’ll have it forever.”
If you believe that, then it will be so.
If that morbid prognosis of being sick for eternity is true, then why do my patients come to me after years of suffering and their symptoms start to go away once we access or tonify the Vis? It’s not because we are introducing a medication to suppress the symptoms but because we’re giving the body the circumstance it needs to heal itself. I assert that you do not need a label to heal.
To reiterate your body knows how to heal – and in fact wants to. And to be honest your symptoms are actually your body’s response to the causative factors (some mentioned above) to bring you back into balance.
So if we focus less on labels and more on how we can support and invigorate the Vis Medicatrix Naturae (the innate healing power that exists with in all organisms) the body will heal (which means to be whole).
De-emphasizing labels is liberating, empowering, and action-focused.
Skin rash?
Removing an offensive food will decrease the immune reactivity.
Fertility issues?
Cleansing and detoxifying the body will restore the natural rhythm and maximize egg health.
Tired and stressed all the time?
Then rest and change or remove the factors that are causing you tension.
Yes, removing labels does demand more accountability, but you truly are your body’s best interpreter if you stop to listen.
Taking control of your own health based on your body’s unique wisdom and guidance is the only sustainable option that will create lasting cure and happiness.
I want you living a healthy thriving delightful life – so stop focusing on the problem, drop the attachment to the label and start focusing on how you can get your body back into balance. If you need guidance, I can help. I have the tools to facilitate the rehabilitation of your Vis so it can do it's job and heal you.
So yeah. That’s why I hate labels.
I get this article might have stirred the pot. I'm open to hearing your thoughts in the comments below.
In the mean time, I'll sign off with a (gluten-free) toast to your delightful life!
Dr. Tonia
I'm Dr. Tonia Winchester, a Naturopathic Physician, and I love helping people QUICKLY 'nutrify' their bodies so they can get back to what they love.
Dr. Tonia Winchester, ND, BSc.
Naturopathic Doctor, Certified IV Therapist
I offer Intravenous and Injection therapies to the depleted, exhausted, pained people of Nanaimo and Central Vancouver Island
to improve energy, vitality, resilience, comfort, and mobility,
So you can be well while facing the stresses of modern life.
As much as I endorse positive habit building
for long-term, sustainable health...
...Sometimes we need a direct approach and
Quick physiological wins.
Whether you're:
1. Deficient and looking to replete nutrients
2. Living in persistent (acute or chronic) pain and looking to find relief...
...I got you!
1. INJECTIONS FOR NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY
IV = intravenous, into a vein
IM = Intramuscular, into a muscle
2. INJECTIONS FOR PERSISTENT, CHRONIC, ACUTE PAIN
SQ = Subcutaneous, into the top layer of skin
ID = Intradermal, into deeper layers of skin
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1. What are injection therapies in naturopathic medicine, and how do they work?
There are several different types of naturopathic injection therapies. The types can be based on remedies and/or the style of injection.
At Knead I offer two main types of remedy injections:
ONE: nutrients
TWO: tissue repair and
Three styles of injections:
ONE: subcutaneous (into the most superficial layers of the skin)
TWO: intramuscular (deep into a muscle belly)
THREE: intravenous (directly into a vein in the arm or hand)
The benefits of injection therapy over other naturopathic treatments is the ability to deliver nutrients and remedies directly into the blood stream so they can quickly get to the target tissues and deliver the nutrients and remedies precisely to the cells.
2. What conditions or health issues can be treated or managed with injection therapies?
Both acute and chronic conditions can be supported by naturopathic injection therapies.
Nutrient injections are helpful for any health issue or lifestyle choice where nutrient deficiency is present or implicated:
vegans and vegetarians are often B12 deficient
digestive concerns: irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis), ulcers, cramping, diarrhea, constipation, bloating.
In these situations nutrient absorption is compromised so we can bypass the digestive system and get nutrients into the bloodstream without relying on the digestive absorption.
pernicious anemia
iron deficiency
poor diet
low energy
poor concentration, focus
immune imbalance (allergies, chronic or recurring infections, autoimmune illness)
metabolic imbalances (thyroid health, cardiovascular disease, weight gain or inability to release weight, diabetes)
adrenal insufficiency (burnout, stress)
chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia
chronic or persistent pain syndromes
asthma
migraines,
headaches
athletic performance
Tissue repair aka musculoskeletal repair aka biopuncture therapy is used for any type of pain syndrome anywhere in the body, whether it’s acute, chronic, persistent, due to an illness or injury, even ones from decades ago.
3. Are injection therapies Safe? What qualifications and training should patients look for when choosing a naturopathic practitioner for injection therapies?
Yes when delivered by a naturopathic doctor with the proper certifications, like I have. They have to be certified to do IV and injection therapies by the College of Naturopathic Physicians of BC.
To maintain this certification we must keep up to date certifications in specialized first aid training called Naturopathic Advanced Life Support.
Each patient is screened thoroughly for contraindications and safety.
4. What types of substances are commonly used in naturopathic injection therapies?
Nutrient injections:
B12 injection - intramuscular B12 (methylcobalamin), administered into shoulder (deltoid) muscle
B Complex - intramuscular complex of B Vitamins, special emphasis on B5 (dexapanthenol), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (methylcobalamin), and smaller amounts of B1, 2, and 3, administered into gluteal muscle
Myer’s Cocktail - intravenous Vitamin C, B Complex, B12, B5, B6, magnesium, calcium, taurine, trace minerals such as selenium and zinc.
Musculoskeletal repair injections are composed of natural herbs and substances to promote healing of specific tissues and often included is a local anesthetic called procaine which interrupts the pain cycle for a few minutes to decrease pain while the remedies move to the tissues to start or continue the healing process.
5. Are injection therapies painful?
Pain is relative. Most people will have a neutral experience and often ask, “Oh? You’re done already?” That said sometimes there is a quick sting, or sharp sensation, all of which are over within seconds. During the longer treatment (Myer’s cocktail) I’m checking in with patients to make sure they are comfortable and safe.
6. How long does a typical injection therapy session take?
B12 and B complex - These injections take just a couple seconds to inject and are done in a 5 minute appointment which includes a brief check in.
Musculoskeletal Repair - These injections are done at several discrete locations over the pain zone and can take 2-5 minutes. These are done in a 15 minute appointment which includes a thorough check in, a relevant physical exam, and an assessment of improvements in range of motion, function, and comfort.
Myer’s Cocktail - This intravenous treatment is done as an IV drip and the patient can expect to be in the office for 45 minutes including the time it takes to connect and disconnect the line.
7. What can I expect after my injection therapy session?
Nutrient Injections: more energy, better focus, improved immune function, hormonal balance, calmer nervous system, better stress tolerance, improved metabolism and digestive function.
Musculoskeletal Repair Injections: less pain, more comfort, better range of motion, restored function to muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons.
Usually these patients have been seeing other therapists for years. After starting these injections therapies finally those other practitioners will start to comment: “Wow, the adjustments are finally holding,” or “Your range of motion is finally improving,” or “The quality of your tissues is softening, elasticity is returning.”
8. Are there any potential side effects or risks associated with injection therapies?
Bruising, phlebitis, burning sensation at injection site, low blood pressure lightheadedness or syncope, nausea, warming sensation (due to magnesium in Myer’s cocktail).
9. How many sessions of injection therapy may be required to achieve the desired results?
It’s different for everyone.
I usually suggest 3 Myer’s IV treatments every 2 weeks at first.
I’ll often suggest weekly B12 or BComplex injections for 3-4 weeks.
More are possible and often encouraged.
For musculoskeletal repair I suggest 4 before re-assessing and often complete a course of 8 treatments, ideally weekly.
10. Is injection therapy covered by insurance?
It is a naturopathic medical treatment and covered for those who have naturopathic coverage on their extended health plan. Otherwise like any naturopathic treatment it’s out of pocket.
11. Can injection therapies be used in conjunction with other naturopathic treatments or conventional medicine?
Yes to both and all. It’s a great compliment to other therapies of any kind.
12. Are there any dietary or lifestyle recommendations that should be followed alongside injection therapies?
Yes… ideally the person is working on improving their diet and lifestyle during injection therapies to increase nutrient repletion, nourishment, cleansing and healing.
13. How do I prepare for me injection therapy appointment?
Come HYDRATED, wearing lose clothing.
14. Are there any contraindications or precautions that individuals should be aware of before considering injection therapies?
Fear of needles or treatment, allergy to remedies or nutrients. For the most invasive injection (the Myer’s cocktail) kidney and liver function must be adequate and this is all covered in the initial screening consultation.
15. Are there any specific post-treatment care instructions that patients should follow?
💦Drink lots of water: ½ body weight (in pounds) in ounces.
⚠️💪No heavy lifting on injection side.
🛌Any other supportive therapies such as rest, gentle stretching, adequate sleep will always be helpful.
16. Do the treatments take place in a common IV room?
Nope! You get connected to your IV bag in a private room.
You get to lean back, put your feet up, relax with a music genre of your choice, and just take in all those nutrients.
FOR SUPPORT ISSUES OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL: [email protected]
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