is dialysis painful: - Dialysis Support
is dialysis painful
There may be some discomfort during needling but this can be alleviated with the use of a topical anaesthetic such as Emla Cream which is applied around 15 -30 mins before inserting needles. Other than that, the dialysis process itself is not painful. In fact, many patients actually fall asleep during dialysis and a number of home dialysis patients dialyse over night whilst they sleep.
As Mikeb said, being needled isn't exactly painless, but the use of "cold spray" or lignocaine will alleviate this. The dialysis it's self is not painful as such, it can be uncomfortable, there can rarely be issues that cause pain, such as a "blown fistula". The biggest problem i find is boredom (and cramp in my behind from sitting in the same position for 3 + hours!)
as i do apd over night for nine hours seven nights a week i have to say the only pain is on first drain before the first fill but once your asleep which really doesn't take long then you feel nothing. oh of course if you get an alarm that will wake you but apart from that no problem
There are different types of dialysis. In heamo dialysis the most uncomfortable parts are cramps, and pain due to needles, common with newer fistulas. All are helped with local anaestetic creams or very fine injections before treatment. And learning to take control of the treatment yourself, including putting in your own needles.
no dialysis is not a painful .
