Dialysis helps remove excess fluids and wastes from your blood when your kidneys aren’t able to handle that task on their own. To filter and “cleanse” your blood, dialysis requires access to your vascular system — typically an “entry point” located in your arm or neck.
Your access site enables your blood to flow through a system of tubes to the dialysis machine, which in turn filters your blood before it’s returned to circulation. Not surprisingly, taking care of that site is essential for supporting the dialysis process and preventing complications.
Managing your access site doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require some special steps. In this post, our team at Houston Kidney Specialists Center offers a few tips to help you manage your site confidently while lowering your risk of infection and other complications.
Good hygiene is one of the best ways to help prevent infection. Washing your access site gently with mild soap and water every day can dramatically reduce the risk of infection by removing dirt, oils, and bacteria.
Always wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning the site, and don’t scratch or pick at it. If you have a catheter, follow the dressing care instructions carefully and keep the area dry between treatments, covering it when you bathe or shower.
Daily monitoring helps you identify potential problems early. Check for signs of infection or irritation, such as redness, warmth, increasing tenderness, swelling, bleeding, or drainage. If you notice any of these changes, call our office right away.
If you have an AV fistula or a graft, you should also check for proper flow by feeling for the “thrill,” a gentle, rhythmic vibration over the access site caused by blood flow. Our team will help you learn how to do this. If you notice changes in the thrill — for instance, if it weakens or disappears entirely, call our office immediately.
Your access site requires steady, strong blood flow to work the way it’s supposed to. To avoid interfering with this flow, don’t use your access arm to lift or carry heavy items, and don’t wear tight clothing or jewelry on that arm.
Use pillows and other supports to avoid rolling onto your arm while you sleep. Don’t allow blood pressure checks, blood draws, or IV placement in your affected arm.
Even minor injuries can create serious complications for your access site. Take extra care during any activity that could cause cuts, bruises, or place extra pressure on the site.
If you have bleeding from the site after dialysis, apply gentle pressure using a piece of clean gauze. If bleeding continues, call our office right away for further steps to take.
While you absolutely play an important role in managing your access site, it’s important to know when to call the office for additional support and guidance. As noted earlier, call us right away if you develop any signs of infection, such as warmth, swelling, or redness around the site or flu-like symptoms, like fever or chills.
Drainage or bleeding from the site and changes in the “thrill” are also reasons to call the office right away. And of course, if you have any questions or concerns, we’re always ready to get you the answers you need.
Finally, you can support your access site, your dialysis treatment, and your overall wellness by practicing good health habits. Be sure to take medications as prescribed, attend all dialysis treatments, and follow our dietary recommendations.
Getting plenty of sleep and managing stress as much as possible are also important parts of long-term care. Our team will work with you to make lifestyle recommendations based on your health needs and other factors.
Dialysis is a part of life for hundreds of thousands of Americans, and protecting your access site is an important way to support your treatment and prevent complications. To find out more about dialysis or to learn additional tips tailored to your needs and concerns, request an appointment online or over the phone at our practice locations in Cypress and Houston, Texas, today.
