Ostomy occurs after a surgery operation called colostomy, gastronomy or ileostomy. It is an artificial opening in the body that I created owing to the disability of the anus or rectum or colon to perform its usual duty due to accidents or natural disability.
Nevertheless, since the body must discharge waste products, there is a need for a stoma or artificially created opening in the lower abdomen to redirect where waste can be discharged.
Consequently, ostomy patients need support belts to plum the ostomy compartments attached to the abdomen or stoma. These belts are well wrapped and attached to the loops of the ostomy bag. Get here if you’re looking for ostomy support belt.
This article will provide guides on how ostomy patients can maintain the belt for personal safety.
Benefits of Ostomy Support Belts
- Traditionally, Ostomy support belts are used to support the ostomy pouch or to replace adhesiveness.
- It helps release tension from the abdomen through its hold of pouch
- It eliminates any chances of incisional hernias or parastomal defect by counter preventing hernia
- It helps reduce peristomal skin rash
- It helps maintain an adequate cover when using the convex skin barrier
- It Is discreet enough to be hidden and allow you to carry on with your life as it is.
Caring for your Ostomy Belt
The ostomy pouch can make the stoma skin different, even sore. But you have to keep it healthy. Below are some tips to that:
- Ensure you do not use an oversized pouch or undersized pouch for barrier opening: If the opening is too wide, the output could get too and cause skin irritation, while too small opening can cut and cause swelling.
- Detach your skin from the pouch and not otherwise: this you should not do more than once a day on a normal occasion.
- Regularly clean the pouch and skin around the stoma with water.
- Irrigates Colostomy: This applies to those who have to descend or sigmoid colostomy. Although old-fashioned, irrigation is done by simply putting water into the colon through the stoma to help regulate pouch movements.
How to Irrigate
- Get lukewarm water in the irrigating container.
- DO NOT connect the tube straightly to the faucet
- Place the irrigating container in a tall place and make sure it levels with your shoulder on sit.
- Sit on a toilet closet or a chair and sit up straight
- Close the irrigation container tube into your stoma and put the other end in the toilet
Ensure that the end of the cone is lubricated
- Run water through the tube to remove an amount of gas/bubbles
- Re-clamp and insert the tub into your stoma. Be careful not to push it at the widest point
- Open the clamp on the tube end and flow water slowly for about 5 minutes (1000 cc—1 quarter) of water. So this slowly.
- You may need less than 1000cc, but do not add more. Whether less or not depends on your body.
- Having run the water, detach the cone. Running out will continue for the next 45 minutes. Allow it.
- When done, put your pouch back and clean the pouch bag, tube and hang to dry.