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Find a Dialysis Center

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    1. About Kidney Disease
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
      3. Kidney Disease Stages
      4. What Is a Nephrologist?
      5. What to Expect with CKD
      6. Kidney Disease Management
      7. Understanding Acute Kidney Injury
      8. How Kidneys Work
      9. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
    2. Treatments
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Dialysis Basics
      3. Benefits of Home Dialysis
      4. Home Peritoneal Dialysis
      5. Home Hemodialysis
      6. Sign up to Talk to a Home Dialysis Expert
      7. In-Center Hemodialysis
      8. Transplant
      9. Insurance & Managing Costs
      10. Choosing Not to Treat
    3. Life On Dialysis
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Your Emotional Health While on Dialysis
      3. Staying Engaged
      4. Staying Healthy
      5. Dialysis Travel Services and Information
      6. Tips for Loved Ones
      7. PatientHub
    4. Recipes & Nutrition
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Recipes
      3. Managing Your Diet
      4. Fluid Management on Dialysis
      5. Dialysis Diet Planning
      6. Cookbooks
    5. Thrive Central
      1. CKD
      2. Dialysis
      3. Diet & Nutrition
      4. Stories
      5. Wellness
      6. See All
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    Find a Dialysis Center

    Find a Dialysis Center

    Find a Dialysis Center
    Permission to detect location was denied Current location could not be determined
      Try a detailed search

      Need help? Call 1-888-373-1470

      1. About Us
      2. Contact Us
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      Need help? Call
      1-888-373-1470

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      1. About Kidney Disease
        1. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
          1. Symptoms
          2. Risk Factors
          3. Causes
          4. Diagnosis and Testing
          5. GFR Calculator
        2. Kidney Disease Stages
          1. Stage 1
          2. Stage 2
          3. Stage 3
          4. Stage 4
          5. Stage 5
        3. What Is a Nephrologist?
        4. What to Expect with CKD
        5. Kidney Disease Management
          1. Kidney Diet Basics
          2. CKD Medications
          3. Your Kidney Care Team
          4. Diabetes
          5. High Blood Pressure
        6. Understanding Acute Kidney Injury
          1. Acute Kidney Injury Treatment and Recovery
        7. How Kidneys Work
        8. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
      2. Treatments
        1. Dialysis Basics
          1. How Does a Hemodialysis Machine Work
          2. Starting Dialysis
          3. Types of Dialysis Access
          4. Your Care Plan
          5. Dialysis Medications
          6. Monitoring Your Lab Results
        2. Benefits of Home Dialysis
        3. Home Peritoneal Dialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. PD Access
          4. PD Training
          5. PD Monitoring
          6. Your Care Team
        4. Home Hemodialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. HD Training
          4. HD Monitoring
          5. Your Care Team
        5. Sign up to Talk to a Home Dialysis Expert
        6. In-Center Hemodialysis
          1. In-Center Treatment Options
          2. What to Expect
          3. Types of Vascular Access for Hemodialysis
          4. Your Care Team
          5. How to Choose a Center
        7. Transplant
          1. Finding a Kidney Donor
          2. Considering Kidney Donation
        8. Insurance & Managing Costs
          1. Understanding Medicare Coverage
          2. Understanding Medicare Advantage
          3. Understanding Employer Plans
        9. Choosing Not to Treat
      3. Life On Dialysis
        1. Your Emotional Health While on Dialysis
          1. Managing Your Emotions
          2. Talking About Dialysis
          3. Intimacy
          4. Body Image and Dialysis
          5. Building Your Dialysis Support Network
        2. Staying Engaged
          1. Tips for Working While on Dialysis
          2. In-Center Activities
          3. Hobbies
        3. Staying Healthy
          1. Managing Your Time on Dialysis
          2. Dialysis & Exercise
          3. Weight Management
          4. Avoiding Infection
          5. Managing Multiple Conditions
          6. Fighting the Flu
        4. Dialysis Travel Services and Information
        5. Tips for Loved Ones
          1. In-Center Hemodialysis
          2. At-Home Hemodialysis
          3. At-Home Peritoneal Dialysis
        6. PatientHub
      4. Recipes & Nutrition
        1. Recipes
        2. Managing Your Diet
          1. Eating Well on a CKD Diet
          2. Eating Well on a Dialysis Diet
          3. Salt and Kidney Disease
          4. Potassium and Kidney Disease
          5. Phosphorus and Kidney Disease
          6. Talking With Your Dietitian
        3. Fluid Management on Dialysis
        4. Dialysis Diet Planning
          1. Kidney-Friendly Shopping
          2. Eating Out
          3. Holiday Diet Tips
          4. A Chef’s Advice | Chef Aaron McCargo on Kidney Friendly Meals
        5. Cookbooks
      5. Thrive Central
        1. CKD
        2. Dialysis
        3. Diet & Nutrition
        4. Stories
        5. Wellness
        6. See All
      Staying Healthy
      Staying Healthy
      OVERVIEW Managing Your Time on Dialysis Dialysis & Exercise Weight Management Avoiding Infection Managing Multiple Conditions Fighting the Flu
      1. Home
      2. Life On Dialysis
      3. Staying Healthy
      4. Avoiding Infection

      Avoiding Infection While on Dialysis

      Share:

      When you’re on dialysis, it’s important to avoid infections of any kind. Infections occur when bacteria, viruses or fungi enter the body by touch or inhalation through the nose or mouth. Some people on dialysis may be likely to get an infection due to the vulnerability of their access site or other health conditions like diabetes. People living with kidney disease are also at greater risk for complications related to illnesses like the flu and pneumonia

      It’s important to be your own advocate. Remember that you are the person who can have the most direct impact on looking after your health. Staying healthy and avoiding infection can help keep you out of the hospital.


      How can I avoid infection?

      There are simple steps you can take to help you stay your healthiest:

      • Download a hand hygiene guide.

        Practice good hygiene—washing your hands often or using an alcohol based hand sanitizer can help prevent infection.

      • access_care_icon

        Care for your access properly—it’s important to follow your nurse’s exact instructions on how to care for your hemodialysis access site or care for your peritoneal access site.

      • Learn about peritonitis and how to look for signs of infection.

        Check for infection—learn the signs and symptoms of access site infection elsewhere in your body. Alert your nurse immediately if you think you may have an infection, so you can receive proper treatment.

        If you’re on peritoneal dialysis (PD): infection can cause peritonitis, a serious infection of your peritoneum. Treating peritontis early with antibiotics is important. Tell your nurse immediately if you think you have contaminated yourself during PD treatment or if you suspect you may have an infection.

        Learn more about peritonitis and prevention here
      • flu_needle_icon

        Get vaccinated—it’s important to get vaccinated as recommended by your doctor or nurse, especially for the flu and pneumonia.

      • treatment_circle_icon

        Keep up with treatment for all health conditions—taking all of your medications and completing all treatments exactly as prescribed can help protect your health.


      Talk to your nurse or doctor about infection

      If you suspect you have an access infection or any other infection in your body, alert your care team immediately. A severe access infection can prevent you from getting dialysis, so it’s important to treat any infection as early as possible. Inspect your access site regularly and look out for redness, draining, tenderness or swelling. Also tell your doctor right away if you have a fever—a sign your body is fighting infection.


      Take all antibiotics exactly as directed

      Your doctor or nurse practitioner will prescribe the exact dose and duration of antibiotics for your particular infection. It’s important to take your medication exactly as prescribed to clear the infection completely and help prevent recurrence.

      Download a handwashing guide

      HANDWASHING HELPS PREVENT INFECTION

      Keeping your hands clean can help you stay healthy and avoid infection. Our printable instructions for handwashing are a good reminder of the proper technique taught by your nurse.
      DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

      FIGHT THE FLU

      Join the millions who stay flu free all season long. Talk to a care team member to get your flu shot today.
      Learn More

      LEARN ABOUT HEP C TREATMENT

      The hepatitis C virus causes a chronic infection that can damage your liver over time. If you’ve been diagnosed, there’s medication with a 95% cure rate. Ask your nurse today.

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