Kidney Dialysis Types: What You Need to Need to Know
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If you have been told you need to begin kidney dialysis you have likely heard all the technical talk and the medical terms, but just what do they mean to you and your life? You will be able to better understand what the lab techs and the doctors are talking about once you read the explanations for all of their fancy words. All of this may be quite frightening until you understand just exactly what it all means.
The two basic types of dialysis are hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, and both forms perform the kidneys function of cleansing the blood. One form- haemodialysis is done through an artery, and the other-peritoneal dialysis is done through the abdominal cavity. Dialysis is simply a flushing of the system to remove toxins and wastes from the blood stream.
Let’s discuss the hemodialysis process first. When your kidneys can no longer filter the toxins and wastes from your body, the dialysis process removes the toxins and wastes so you can stay alive. With hemodialysis, your blood is pumped into a machine called the dialyzer. Your blood would be passed through a process to filter it and it is then returned to your body. This type of dialysis is usually performed at least three times per week and the procedure takes about three to five hours for each dialysis. A small shunt is placed in your arm that stays so that the tubes for dialysis are able to be inserted without making a new hole each time. Your blood is then sent through the machine to be cleansed.
The next type of dialysis we will discuss is peritoneal dialysis. This type of dialysis does the same job as hemodialysis, but in a different manner. A bag is inserted into your abdomen. The process sends your blood into the bag to be cleansed so that the wastes and toxins can be disposed of. You need to hook yourself to a machine that filters the blood and allows you to dispose of the waste. Maintaining a regular schedule for the hook up to the machine is very important to avoid the wastes and toxins from building up in your system.
Important considerations that will affect your life are the facts that both types of dialysis will require a certain diet in order to prevent a buildup of sodium and potassium in your system. Dialysis has a very difficult time removing these overabundances from your blood. In the last stages of renal disease, dialysis can save your life, or keep you as healthy as possible while you are on a transplant waiting list.
Dialysis is not the only answer to chronic kidney disease and research is making strides in solving the devastating set of diseases that plague the kidneys. There are also natural remedies that help to support and strengthen the kidneys so that transplantation can be put off for as long as possible. It is also possible to reverse kidney damage with natural therapies if it not too far advanced. With some types of kidney damage, natural remedies enable healing to take place by giving the kidneys a chance to rest and restore.
For those patients who need dialysis it important to follow the appropriate diet and look after their remaining kidney function as much as possible. It is comforting to know that even if natural therapies are not introduced early enough to reverse kidney damage, they can still be used to help prevent side effects of dialysis, and support the body during this process.
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Kidney Dialysis: Choose the Option with the Least Impact on Your Life
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The medical process of dialysis is used when your kidneys can no longer effectively function. Dialysis will remove the toxins from your body that healthy kidneys are normally are able to flush out. This process is most often used in end stage renal disease which is often a result of congenital kidney disease, or caused by health issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Your kidneys are your body’s filtering stations and if they do not work correctly, dialysis may be necessary to save your life.
Depending on your unique medical condition, your dialysis could be temporary or permanent. If you are waiting for a kidney transplant, the dialysis will be temporary, and will help your kidneys function while you are on the waiting list for your new organ. If you are not a good transplant candidate due to age or other health issues, or a transplant would not help your condition, dialysis would most likely be a life-long endeavor for you.
The two main options for dialysis are most likely what your healthcare provider will discuss with you. Peritoneal dialysis is able to be performed at home, either by you or with an assistant. This type of dialysis will use the peritoneal membrane, just inside your abdomen, to flood a glucose solution into your abdominal cavity. This glucose solution will stay in your abdomen for around two hours and then will be drained out, taking the wastes and toxins with it. This acts as the flushing that the kidneys are no longer able to do.
A titanium plug that acts as a tube will be inserted into your abdomen and you will receive training to teach you, or your carer how to perform this procedure and operate the equipment at home. It will be imperative that you be very observant of the procedures to sterilise your equipment or peritonitis could become a serious development.
Hemodialysis is the more common form of dialysis and most people are familiar with this procedure, which is performed at the hospital or dialysis center. With this form of dialysis, you need to be hooked to a machine by a tube in your veins that circulates your blood into the machine. The filters in the machine then clean the wastes and toxins that are in your blood. Hemodialysis takes an average of about three to four hours to complete the process, and may be required several times per week, depending upon your remaining level of kidney function.
Dialysis is not perfect, but it is used as a life saving measure. But the procedure can greatly restrict your lifestyle and can feel quite invasive. You will have to follow a very special diet that will include more proteins and will also be lower in potassium and phosphorus. You will also need to limit the amount of fluids you ingest since the dialysis cannot fully remove all the excess fluid from your body. There is also risk of infection, due to the fact that the tubes for dialysis are inserted and this leaves an opening that is vulnerable to infection.
Although there are associated risks with using dialysis, and it does impact greatly on an individual’s lifestyle, this procedure certainly saves lives and is the only option for many patients with end stage renal disease. However, if the correct dietary changes are made this will certainly help to support the process and prevent negative effects as much as possible.
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The Pros and Cons of Different Kidney Dialysis Options – It May Change Your Life
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Every human is unique and even more so when there are medical considerations to be made. If you educate yourself about dialysis, this will better enable you to make decisions concerning your kidney dialysis care. What may be right for your may not be appropriate for another. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of dialysis. Here we will be discussing some of the pros and cons of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, and how they can benefit individuals in different situations.
Dialysis centers are widely located and there are trained professionals that can assist with your dialysis at all times. This is especially helpful if the patient is a child. Older patients also may need extra assistance with their dialysis procedure.
Due to the fact that the dialysis takes place usually three times a week, every week, you will meet others who are also living with dialysis. This helps to form a moral support system that is invaluable when you just want someone to talk to that understands all of your frustrations and fears. Another advantage of a dialysis center is that you do not have to keep your dialyser in your home. You will not need to have assistance at home for your dialysis when you use a dialysis center.
The draw backs of hemodialysis need to be taken into consideration as well before you decide on the form of dialysis you would prefer. Treatment schedules are strict and if you miss one you run the risk of too many toxins and wastes building up and creating a health crisis. You must stick to the hospitals schedule and be on time. There are many waiting for those machines.
Travelling in all kinds of weather and conditions is a must. Very few cities offer public transportation to a dialysis center and you will be responsible for your transportation.
Hemodialysis requires the strictest diet, as well as fluid intake limits. Because the hemodialysis does not adequately remove all the excess fluid, it can cause edema if the diet and fluid intake are not limited by strict measures.
You will be responsible for a regiment of medications, some of which you will have to pay for out of pocket. Many of the medications are still in the research category and therefore not covered by insurances.
Your blood pressure will change as the procedure is being performed and you may have fewer days when you feel well. For many patients, the days when dialysis takes place become much darker days than the four days off of dialysis. It often takes several hours to feel better after you receive dialysis.
Home Hemodialysis
The convenience and privacy mean that many kidney patients prefer this type of dialysis; however it is often not appropriate. However it certainly does have its benefits. The flushing units are often portable and can be taken on a trip. The dialysis can take place while you are sleeping or at rest. You control when dialysis takes place and where it takes place.
For some patients, this type of dialysis is more constant, so their body feels good every day, not just the day after dialysis. With a home unit, you do not have to travel in order to receive your treatment; you will have more time at home.
Peritoneal Dialysis
The drawbacks of peritoneal dialysis are a serious problem for some kidney patients. The peritoneal dialysis requires that you have an assistant to help with hooking up to the machine and also for unhooking from it. This can be quite stressful for a family member if they are not medically inclined. Training will be needed to educate you and an assistant on how to safely perform the treatments, along with the sanitary precautions to prevent infections.
Though strides have been made in reducing the size of the machinery, it will still take up room in your living quarters. There are supplies that must be maintained as well and these will require storage space.
It is hoped that with this information you can make a better informed decision about the type of dialysis that is right for you. This may vary according to your health, and there may not always be options, but it is always preferable to be informed.
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Natural Medicines to Prevent Kidney Dialysis You Ought to Know
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Kidney dialysis is an intrusive procedure, which can make huge impacts on a patient’s lifestyle, not to mention the necessary dietary changes and potential side effects. Many people wish to know if there are any natural alternatives to dialysis. Dialysis is not for everyone and there are natural remedies that are alternatives that have been tried by many to help repair the kidneys to prevent the necessity of dialysis. You must decide for yourself what the best treatment procedure is for you, taking your specialists advice into account of course.
Natural supplements do help the kidneys to rest and heal, but lifestyle changes must be made as well if complete healing is to occur. Continuing to add damage to the kidneys is self defeating. To give your kidneys a chance to heal you must leave alcohol, soft drinks, fatty meats, and high sugar foods out of your diet. Using natural remedies to prevent dialysis is dependent upon caring for the whole body while directing extra attention to the kidneys.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises can be done to help combat stress, which can contribute to kidney disease. The best results are seen when exercises are done regularly, over six months to a year, but benefits can be noticed as quickly as within a weeks.
The body’s immune system needs to be strengthened when treating kidney disease. The breathing exercises known as pranayam are a holistic treatment that creates extra oxygen supplies to the body. This will slowly help with the kidney problems as well as other ailments in the body. Practice the pranayam to enjoy the benefits. Your timing should build slowly and in two weeks the benefits should be noticeable.
Bhastrika – Take a long deep breath into the lungs (chest not abdomen) through the nose and then breathe completely out through the nose. Duration of the breath should be gradually increased over five minutes.
Kapalbhati – This exercise is performed prior to eating. At a rate of one time per second forcefully push air through the nostrils. The stomach should be contracting, tighten this muscle before pushing the air out again. Establish a pattern of breathing and build endurance to thirty minutes two times per day. Do not do this exercise for more than sixty minutes per day. Pregnant women and seriously ill patients should not do this exercise.
Anulom Vilom – The method for this exercise is to close your right nostril with your thumb and take a deep breath through your left nostril. Switch nostrils and close left nostril with two fingers and breathe out through the right. Change sides and repeat the cycle of breathing. The completion of both sides is one cycle of this exercise. Repeat this cycle for a half hour, two times a day. The durations of this exercise can also be done in twenty minute cycles three times a day, before each meal.
Bhramri Pranayam –Close your eyes, while closing your ears with your thumbs while placing your index fingers on your forehead. Place three fingers at the base of your nose. Breathe in through your nostrils. Next, breathe out through your nose and hum like a bee. This should be done in cycles of five or ten repetitions.
Pancreatic and Kidney Stimulus Exercise:
Kneel down, breathe out, pull in your stomach muscles, keep both of your hands on your stomach, bend forward and try to touch the floor with your forehead. Practice this daily until you are able to reach the floor with your forehead. These exercises are meant to be done three times a day prior to eating each meal. The increased stimulation of the blood stream will better digest foods and stimulates the kidneys and pancreas.
Herbs
Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa)
The common name this herb is known by as hogweed. The natural diuretic properties help support flushing of the kidneys in order to excrete excess water out of the body. This herb is known to relieve painful urination.
Varun (Crataeva nurvala)
We know this as the Caper. Caper will relieve swelling and excess fluids built up in the body.
Okshur (Tribulus terrestris)
Okshur is used to remove obstructions in the urinary tract. Okshur also has anti-infective agents that work in unison to regenerate and strengthen kidney function.
Rakt Chandan
Red Sandalwood is the common name and this is a fantastic natural diuretic and anti-inflammatory. The properties of this plant will work as a urinary alkaliser. This herb reportedly works to revive the kidneys without adding any stress on the already ailing kidneys.
Palaash (Butea monosperma)
This red flowered tree is better known as the flame of the forest, due to its colouring. The different parts of the tree are used as tinctures as well as teas, and are a natural urinary alkaliser. This herbal supplement will relieve painful urination and help to prevent infection.
Aasni (Cichorium intybus)
The botanical name sounds somewhat ominous, but this is just plain old Chicory. This herbal supplement has been used for centuries by the Native Americans on the North American continent to help support kidney function and healing.
As you can see there are many options for using natural therapies to help heal your kidneys in order to prevent the necessity of dialysis. However if you do still need to undergo this medical intervention you can talk to your health provider about using natural therapies to support your body while undergoing dialysis, and also to prevent potential side effects.
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Kidney Dialysis: Common Questions from Dialysis Patients
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Dialysis is world of medical sterility, machines, unfamiliar noises and busy nurses. For an adult this can be a frightening experience, for a child it can be a world of wonder and innovation and learning, rather than a place of pain, sorrow and hurt. Children are naturally curious and will adjust much better to this environment than most adults, if things are explained to them in a language they understand. The same holds true for adults who have questions. Never be timid about approaching staff with your questions. They are trained to be able to take you from the very first step of dialysis, through to the time you either do not need dialysis any longer, or you are making adjustments to dialysis being a permanent part of your life. The only stupid question is one that goes unasked. Here are a few frequently asked questions from adults and children.
1. What special precautions should renal dialysis patients take pertaining to the type of water used in peritoneal dialysis?
Most city sources of water are chloraminated water, a chemical that is very closely related to chlorine. Kidney patients can bathe with city water supplies, but a separate filter needs to be installed for the water source for the dialysis procedure. Filtered water should always be consumed instead of tap water. Many home services will have the equipment to install the needed components, or some filters can be ordered through your hospital.
2. Is tap water suitable for home dialysis machines?
Water straight from the tap is not suitable for home dialysis machines. There are too many chemicals as well as other toxins in the water from the tap. The water that is used in dialysis comes into contact directly with the blood and must be more pure than tap water. Another problem with tap water is the amount of calcium in the water. Your digestive tract will break the calcium down, but the machinery for dialysis will end up with a calcium scale that will block the openings and pump motors.
3. Does insurance cover kidney dialysis? What if I receive dialysis at home?
In many countries, insurance companies, co-pays and extension insurance services will cover dialysis. The human resources department of the hospital or the dialysis center will help you fill out the paperwork and understand what is covered and what is not. Policies will vary in different parts of the world so it is essential to speak to your provider personally.
4. Why do patients that have kidney disease or are on dialysis have a low blood count?
The kidneys are normally responsible for producing EPO to form red blood cells in bone marrow. When the kidneys cannot do their job, the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) is not made in sufficient amounts by the kidneys. EPO must be produced in the correct amounts or it leads to anemia, which is often seen in kidney disease patients.
5. Is it permissible for a kidney dialysis patient to perform the fast, especially on days that dialysis is performed?
Fast will be invalidated if something is inserted into an open orifice. The open orifices of the body are the ears, nose, mouth and both of the private parts. No, dialysis does not invalidate the fast. Since dialysis is done through artificial openings, none of the orifices of the body are used. Dialysis is permissible even by the strictest fasting laws.
6. Can the liver be treated using blood treatment procedures similar to those used for kidney dialysis?
Yes, there are liver intensive care units that are able to perform this type of treatment. This is not an outpatient treatment though. Most times this procedure is not used unless a liver transplant is imminent. The cases where liver dialysis is used are often emergencies, such as poisoning, that would warrant the use of this procedure. In a few cases, liver support machines are used. The patient is always hooked to the machine.
7. Does hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis hurt?
No. When the surgeries to insert an opening or to insert an abdominal bag are used, you will be placed under anesthesia. The purpose of the surgeries is so that when you are hooked up to the flushing machines, dialysers, it will not hurt.
8. Is there a cure for kidney disease?
There is no orthodox cure at this time, though there are surgeries such as transplant that replaces a non- functioning kidney with a healthy kidney from a donor. A transplant is considered successful in about 84% of transplant patients. Genetic research is being done around the world to address inherited kidney diseases and progress is being made. The best cure for kidney disease is prevention. Natural remedies can also be used to help reverse kidney damage for some patients, and can always be used to improve quality of life, even in very advanced kidney disease cases.
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