Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
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 Ask Dr. Cates
Painful IV Site | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
I'm not sure if you will be able to help me or not. I am avoiding going to a doctor about a problem because I'm not sure if it is really a problem to be concerned about, and I don't want to waste his time or my money over nothing. Anyways to make a long story short, I have had three IV'S in the last month on the top of my left hand. Well ever since the last one came out (they ran die through for a CT scan), I have a huge and painful swollen vein, it looks like it is my vein anyways. The swelling is not going down, and where it sticks out it is actually starting to feel hard and hurts worse when I make a fist with my hand. Will this go away? Thanks for whatever help you can give me!— Worried in Batesville, IN | | | ANSWER |
May 14, 2001 | | | Dear Worried,
I'm sorry to hear that you are having this problem. What you describe sounds like phlebitis or inflammation of the vein. This is not unusual following insertion of an intravenous line. The two main causes are chemicals that can cause irritation of the vein (such as the dye they gave you through the IV for the CT scan), or infections (most often caused by bacteria that live on the skin--usually staph or strep). Chemical phlebitis usually goes away by itself, but may take a long time. Infections, on the other hand, require treatment with antibiotics. Since I can't tell if it is infected without seeing you, you should have it checked by your provider promptly. If it is infected, without treatment it could spread and become a more serious problem.— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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