4 Reasons for Dialysis Treatment
Dialysis helps clean and filter your blood when your kidneys do not function properly. It must be done multiple times a week and requires several hours for thorough cleaning. To do this, doctors must create vascular access to connect the dialysis machine to your kidneys. Dialysis access often requires a surgical procedure to provide an entryway into your bloodstream. Here are four reasons why you may need to see your doctor for dialysis treatment:
1. Replace Kidney Function
Healthy kidneys filter the blood to remove excess fluids and waste products. If your kidneys are unhealthy, particularly due to acute or chronic disease, they fail to filter the blood properly. This might lead to the accumulation of fluids and waste products in the body. Dialysis treatment helps filter out the unwanted substances that your kidneys cannot.
Dialysis only performs part of the job healthy kidneys do and is not a cure for kidney failure, especially end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Doctors use dialysis access to connect the machine to your body and clean the blood. The access point may be a graft, fistula, or an Ellipsys access system. If you suffer from EKSD, you will need dialysis throughout life or until receiving a kidney transplant. For acute kidney injury, dialysis might help until your kidneys heal.
2. Prevent Other Health Problems
Chronic kidney failure often puts you at risk of cardiovascular diseases. When kidneys fail to filter blood, toxins build up in the bloodstream, potentially leading to uremia. Uremia is the severe buildup of waste products in the blood. If untreated, it might cause seizures or cardiac arrest. Excessive fluid in the bloodstream can also result in swelling, high blood pressure, and heart issues. Dialysis treatment helps prevent these health complications by filtering toxins from the bloodstream. It allows you to focus on one condition–kidney failure–rather than multiple complications.
3. Monitor Your Care
Seeing your specialist for regular dialysis treatments also provides an opportunity to receive regular updates on treatment. Doctors look for abnormalities, particularly around the vascular access point, and make adjustments if necessary. Proper care of this access point is needed and contributes to your long-term health.
Your dialysis providers examine the access point to look for contaminations that could lead to infection. In case of an illness, doctors can prescribe the right antibiotics. Monitoring this point also helps your doctors identify other issues like blood clots. A blood clot may compromise your dialysis, making it less effective. If a clot occurs in the access point, doctors de-clot it for effective dialysis.
4. Improve Quality of Life
Chronic kidney disease can be a challenging condition and is often associated with decreased quality of life. Patients often experience fatigue and a decline in physical functioning. Some may experience various psychological issues like anxiety and depression. With dialysis, you can improve your overall quality of life and live longer. This treatment allows patients to be physically active and maintain intimate relationships. Doctors may also recommend lifestyle changes, from eating healthy to not smoking and getting enough exercise. Sticking to your doctor’s care plan helps you manage or prevent other health issues like high blood pressure, anemia, and diabetes.
Prepare for a Dialysis Access Procedure
If you are planning to start dialysis treatment, you need an access point to your bloodstream. Ask your doctor whether vascular access with a fistula, graft, or an Ellipsys system is best for you. High blood pressure and diabetes are common causes of chronic kidney disease, and sharing your concerns with your doctor early can help prevent the disease from progressing. Contact a specialist today to learn more about dialysis access and the treatment procedure.
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