Avoiding Joint And Muscle Pain During Dialysis

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When I first started dialysis I wasn't bothered with a lot of back pain or restless legs; now that I'm four months into it I can safely say the honeymoon is over. Now my four hour sessions feel twice as long, I can't get comfortable and most of the pain pills I can take aren't effective on the types of pain I experience there. Stretching during your session can help a lot but you are limited to what you can do because of the tubes that are hooked up to you. If you can get there early and stretch for about ten minutes it can really help. Cramping can be a problem, even more so if you have cut out bananas or other high potassium foods. Trying to balance water intake and foods can be tricky but it isn't impossible to figure out what works best for you. Four hours is the average time for a session so if you are going in the mid-morning or late afternoon you are going to want to have some snacks or a meal with you. I take celery and peanut butter, a salad and if I have extra meat I'll make a big juicy hamburger patty. Check with your clinics dietitian for snack options and suggestions – there are some high potassium foods you are going to have to restrict Instead of using a muscle relaxer for my lower back pain I started using Biofreeze Professional. I get two cans a month from my insurance company but if I need more or a shipment is late I can get the four ounce spray for about $7.00 at Wal Mart. Granted, this isn't the most pleasant thing to apply but you can spray it in any direction. Make sure you go to the bathroom before you start your session so you aren't dancing in your seat for a hour or two. Invest in a back massager that you can take with you and strap to the chair. You can get them for as little as $30.99 and they really are worth every penny. Remember your posture too. If your clinic has recline seats take advantage of the pressure relief it can provide. Image: