FAQ on Kidney Dialysis

If your kidneys start to fail, you may need to undergo a process called kidney dialysis. Dialysis works to remove the excess water, waste and salt from your body, which your kidneys would normally control. Dialysis also helps to control your blood pressure and makes sure that there are safe amounts of potassium, sodium, bicarbonate and other chemicals in the body. If you or someone you love needs to go on dialysis, make sure you learn as much as you can about the process before you start.

When Is Dialysis Needed?

• Kidney dialysis usually isn't needed until you lose around 85 percent to 90 percent of your kidney function. Some people will need dialysis for the rest of their lives or until they find a candidate for organ donation. Other patients need dialysis for only a short time, until the acute kidney failure subsides and the kidneys are repaired.

What Types of Dialysis Are Available?

• There are two main types of kidney dialysis. Hemodialysis is the use of an artificial kidney to perform the procedure. With minor surgery, the artificial kidney is given access to the blood vessels in the arm or leg or through a catheter, which is a tube that is inserted into the neck. Hemodialysis treatments last for around four hours, and most doctors recommend that patients undergo treatment three times a week.

  The other type of dialysis that your doctor may recommend is peritoneal dialysis. With this type of treatment, you'll have surgery to insert a catheter into your abdomen. You'll be responsible for changing bags to remove liquid waste from your body continuously throughout the day, or you'll hook up to a machine at night that controls the removal of waste while you sleep.

How Does Dialysis Affect Daily Life?

• Dialysis itself can cause discomfort, and some patients experience side effects like headaches or cramps when first starting dialysis. However, many dialysis patients continue to work or otherwise go about their lives after getting used to dialysis. You may need to adjust your diet and refrain from activities that are physically strenuous while on dialysis. It depends on the underlying condition causing the need for dialysis, in most cases.

How Safe Is Dialysis?

• Both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis have been around since the 1940s, according to the National Kidney Foundation. They began to be used more readily in 1960 and are among the most commonly used treatment options for kidney problems today. Thousands of patients have successfully used kidney dialysis to treat kidney failure. There are always risks involved with surgery and other medical procedures, however, so talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

Is Dialysis Affordable?

• Unfortunately, kidney dialysis is extremely expensive, but according to the National Kidney Foundation, the federal government will cover 80 percent of the costs for most patients. Once you have kidney problems, it may be hard to obtain health insurance, but if you already have insurance, your treatments are probably covered. There are also state aid programs to help patients who need to undergo kidney dialysis.