What Are the Side Effects of Dialysis

Dialysis and kidney transplant are treatment options for end-stage kidney disease. It's important to remember that without dialysis, many patients' only hope is a kidney transplant. Knowing the side effects of dialysis is very important to improve patients’ life quality.
Infection
One of the most common side effects of dialysis is infection. Dialysis involves the placement of tubes within the body to allow for the drainage and filtration of excess fluids and waste. Typically, patients need to have dialysis treatments performed three to seven times each week, and each treatment can last anywhere from 3 to 10 hours. The frequency of dialysis treatments further increases your risk of developing an infection. Side effects of infection can include fever, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting or body aches.
Bleeding from the Access Point
As dialysis is an invasive technique, the area surrounding the access point can be damaged and bleeding can occur. You should see your doctor if this occurs.
Hypotension
Dialysis patients are at risk of a sudden drop in blood pressure (hypotension), due to the stress the cardiovascular system is under from regular hemodialysis. However this can be controlled by medication.
Cramps, Nausea and Headaches
These flu-like symptons are sometimes experienced by hemodialysis patients. The water quality in the dialyzer, the composition of the dialyser itself, the dialysate composition, and the rate of filteration can all cause problems, which can be reduced by adjusting the dialysis perscription. However, do remember that these are also symptoms of peritonitis.
Itchy Skin
Patients undergoing hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis can develop dry, itchy skin as a side effect of treatment. Itchy skin can occur due to the presence of toxins within the blood that dialysis cannot completely remove from your body.
Electrolyte Imbalance
This will almost certainly be detected via the normal blood tests conducted on dialysis patients. There are a variety of vital electrolytes in the blood that control a number of bodily process and this is too general an area for discussion here.
Anemia
The red blood cell volume in dialysis patients (especially hemodialysis patients) is often lower then normal. This is due to reduced levels of the hormone erythropoietin, which is produced by the kidneys and regulates red blood cell production. Medication to treat the anemia is commonly used by dialysis patients.
There are many other side effects of dialysis. If you are suffering from one or more side effects, accepting relative treatment is very important. If you still have some queries, you can send email to zsn122800y@gmail.com.