Nephrologist (Kidney Specialist) Questions Nephrology

Is it painful to have dialysis?

My friend is 35 years old. He will have kidney dialysis soon. Is it painful to have dialysis?

6 Answers

Dialysis itself is not painful but everything leading up to and after can be. The fistula formation can be and the consequences of being in dialysis are critical to the immune system causing accelerated disease states, in turn pain..
The dialysis is not painful. The access to dialysis for hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis can be painful surgical procedure.
No. Difficult on your life, but not impossible.
Dialysis has a wide range of associated symptoms. Sometimes pts can get muscle cramping during treatments which can be very painful. Other times certain medications that are given can be painful. If they have complications with their dialysis access site, that may be painful. However generally, most pts sleep or watch tv through their treatments & tolerate them well.
No. If he gets hemodialysis through fistula in the arm, inserting the needles might be painful but there are numbing creams to help with that. If he is on peritoneal dialysis there is no needle involved so there is no pain
It is NOT painful.
EA