Why do Polycystic Kidneys Patients Suffer from Bone Pain on Dialysis

Polycystic Kidneys is characterised by the presence of varied cysts in one's kidneys. The disease can cause the kidneys to fail-which often happens after many years-the patient requires dialysis as a life-saving method. Under this treatment, some patients will experience bone pain. What are the causes?

▪ Renal bone disease

The kidneys can help make our bones strong and healthy by keeping the proper levels of substances like calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D. Kidney Failure will results in abnormal levels of these substances and cause renal bone disease, a condition that weakens the bones in the body.

Dialysis can only perform limited functions of normal kidneys, such as removing wastes, and fail to maintain the internal metabolic balance. Therefore, bone pain, especially in the back, hips, legs, and knees, can be caused in this condition.

▪ Amyloidosis

Renal bone disease is not the only cause of bone pain in Polycystic Kidneys patients with kidney failure. A condition called amyloidosis can also lead to this problem.
Amyloidosis can develop more than 5 years or so after the start of dialysis. It occur because the treatment has not effectively remove a protein called beta-2-microglobulin from the blood. Ultimately, molecules of this protein start linking together and depositing on muscles and other tissues. Bone pain can be caused when these proteins become deposited in joints all over the body.

Patients with Polycystic Kidneys should notice that long-term dialysis will cause many side effects (what are the effects of dialysis to renal failure patients). It is just a renal replacement therapy other than an effective treatment. Under this treatment, patients will still suffer from progressive loss of kidney function.


Therefore, we recommend people with Polycystic Kidneys to find a systemic treatment which can block further deterioration and improve the renal function. In this way, the life quality can be significantly improved, and patients can live a normal life without dialysis.