Feeling cold is a common and often uncomfortable experience for many individuals undergoing dialysis. This sensation can significantly impact comfort during treatment sessions, which typically last several hours. Addressing this feeling of coldness is important for a more tolerable and effective treatment. Understanding the reasons can help individuals prepare and enhance their comfort.
Understanding Why You Feel Cold
The process of dialysis circulates blood outside the body, where it can cool slightly before returning, contributing to a feeling of coldness. This subtle temperature drop can be noticeable.
A temporary drop in blood pressure during treatment can also induce coldness. When blood pressure decreases, peripheral circulation is affected, reducing blood flow to extremities like hands and feet. This can make individuals feel colder, especially in their limbs.
Dialysis requires significant energy to filter waste and fluid. This metabolic effort can lead to fatigue and a lowered core body temperature as the body focuses on filtration. These physiological changes often result in patients feeling cold during sessions.
Personal Strategies for Comfort
Layering clothing effectively manages temperature fluctuations. Wearing several thin layers, like a long-sleeved shirt under a sweater, allows individuals to adjust as needed. Warm socks and a hat also help retain body heat, as significant heat can be lost from the head and feet.
Bringing personal comfort items, such as a favorite blanket or throw, provides warmth and security. Many centers allow patients to use their own blankets, which can be more comforting than clinic-provided ones. These items create a cozier environment during lengthy treatment.
Small, portable warming aids offer targeted relief. Hand warmers (disposable or reusable) can warm chilly hands. Battery-operated heating pads can provide localized warmth on areas like the lap or lower back, if permitted. Electric blankets are generally not allowed in medical facilities due to safety and burn risks.
Strategic positioning minimizes exposure to drafts. Sitting away from air conditioning vents or frequently opened doors prevents cold air from reaching the body. Warm compresses on the dialysis access site, if approved, can also improve comfort.
Warmth Through Diet and Hydration
Consuming warm beverages offers internal warmth during dialysis. Sipping decaffeinated tea, warm water, or broth can raise core body temperature and provide comfort. Adhere strictly to fluid restrictions, ensuring warm fluid intake is accounted for within daily limits.
If permitted, a small, warm snack can contribute to warmth and energy. Options like oatmeal or a heated sandwich provide a gentle metabolic boost. Any food consumed must be pre-approved to align with dietary restrictions and not interfere with treatment.
Maintaining adequate nutrition supports the body’s temperature regulation. A well-nourished body generates and conserves heat more effectively. Discussing dietary needs and warming foods with a dietitian can provide personalized recommendations.
Working with Your Dialysis Team
Open communication with the dialysis care team about feeling cold is important. Informing nursing staff allows them to assess and offer immediate solutions. Persistent coldness should be discussed, as it might indicate a need for further evaluation or treatment adjustments.
Individuals can inquire about machine settings that influence comfort. While nurses manage adjustments, understanding that dialysate temperature or blood flow rates can be modified provides reassurance. Some clinics may have heated blankets or warmed dialysate solutions available upon request.
Addressing underlying medical conditions contributing to cold sensitivity is beneficial. Conditions like anemia, common in kidney disease patients, can cause coldness due to fewer red blood cells carrying oxygen. Discussing these concerns with the nephrologist ensures all factors are considered and managed.