Dialysis is not painful although dialysis can be uncomfortable.
Hemodialysis is a type of dialysis which involves inserting needles into a vein to remove waste products from your blood.
During the insertion of the needles for hemodialysis there can be some pain or discomfort while the needles are inserted but the pain should go away quickly.
There may also be some pain and bleeding during the removal of the dialysis needles.
And some people on dialysis may experience nausea and muscle cramps during the dialysis treatment.
Another type of dialysis is peritoneal dialysis which uses a catheter that is inserted into your abdomen to filter the waste products from the blood.
With peritoneal dialysis there is often no pain associated with it although some people experience discomfort or bloating when on peritoneal dialysis.
Other factors that can affect pain with dialysis are the type of dialysis and quality of care you receive.
People who are anxious or fearful about the dialysis treatment might experience more pain than those who are not anxious or fearful.
And chronic pain conditions or other medical issues can also lead to pain during dialysis.
Most people on dialysis report that the dialysis is tolerable and that any discomfort they have when on dialysis is manageable.
Some people give up on dialysis because of the sickness and pain associated with the needles but it's your choice whether to continue with dialysis or not.
My sister who died in March of 2023 of kidney failure was on dialysis for around 6 years before she gave up on it and died within a year of quitting dialysis.
Tomorrow will mark 2 years since my sister passed away from kidney failure.