Dialysis Side Effects

The kidneys are an important part of the human body as they filter wastes from the body. If the kidneys stop functioning due to kidney disease or renal failure, then the body faces difficulty in excreting waste. And if the body does not excrete waste from time to time, it may cause serious medical conditions. This is when dialysis becomes necessary, so that the wastes produced are excreted.

Dialysis is a procedure which artificially substitutes the functioning of the kidneys. It's because of this process or treatment that people whose kidneys are damaged can continue to live a normal life, even if the kidneys don't function.

There are basically two types of dialysis - hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In hemodialysis, the blood is filtered with the help of a special machine called dialyzer, while peritoneal dialysis, involves inserting a special fluid into the abdominal cavity with the help of a catheter, and it is this fluid which helps the tissues of the abdominal cavity to filter blood.

Each of the two processes have their own adverse effects, as explained:

One of the most common side effects of peritoneal dialysis is peritonitis, an infection of the peritoneum, the transparent membrane which lines the abdominal cavity. If an affected person goes through peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is used to insert dialysis solution into the abdominal cavity. If this catheter is contaminated, the chances of infection is high.

Nausea and lack of appetite are the other side effects of peritoneal dialysis, and can be accompanied by pain in abdomen. Usually abdominal pain starts as a dull ache, which may progress on to severe pain over time. Bloating is another common problem faced by people who go through this type of dialysis.

Hernia is another common side effect associated with peritoneal dialysis. As a catheter is inserted into the abdomen, it may weaken the muscles of the abdominal wall.

When the dialysis solution is inserted, it pressurizes the weakened abdominal muscle, which may result in wear and tear, and this may result in hernia. Some of the other symptoms include vomiting, frequent cold and chills, feeling thirsty, high temperature, and rapid heartbeat.

Hemodialysis involves excreting body fluids with the help of a dialyzer, and if too much of body fluids are excreted, it may lead to low blood pressure. Many a time, it has been found that people experience muscle cramps. Cramps are caused due to the excess excretion of body fluids, and if the cramping is too severe, you need to get in touch with your doctor immediately.

Fatigue is an important side effect which many people face, after receiving hemodialysis. There are several reasons due to which fatigue occurs, and the main reasons include kidneys not functioning normally and restrictions on certain diets.

Moreover, there are people who have reported of itchy skin after receiving dialysis and the main reason behind this is the accumulation of potassium in the body. There are several other side effects of kidney dialysis like difficulty in eating and weight gain, so you need to be careful of these too.

So, there are several side effects associated with this procedure, which a person may go through. Most of these side effects can be taken care of by following the instructions provided by medical professionals, besides proper diet.

Disclaimer: This post is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.