Preventing Leaking

People usually know little about a stoma when they are told they have to get one. It is a surgical opening in abdomen connecting to the intestines. There are lots of reasons people could have a stoma. They can even be temporary or they could be permanent for the rest of the patient’s life. A permanent stoma is used when parts of the colon or rectum have been removed and then replaced with a stoma. A temporary stoma can be put in place before parts of the intestine are removed. This avoids the passage of stool through the internal organs and intestines. Usually letting the intestines heal after a surgery.

 Stomas control bowel movements and detour them to a bag on your stomach. Ostomy supplies are a great resource to finding your ostomy needs. They provide ostomy bags, adgesives, and cleaning supplies for you ostomy. It is very important to keep your abdomen and skin around the opening clean. Infection can spread quickly into the scar tissue and then into the organs. The stool in the bag should be disposed of regularly to ensure a clean area. The bag should also be replaced depending on the brand and how a patient’s skin reacts to the adhesive.

Even with great ostomy supplies, there are times when bags can leak. This can cause odor, discomfort, and embarrassment to the patient. There are many reasons why a bag would leak and usually it is user error. Patients must acknowledge and then try to avoid reasons for why a bag could be leaking.

The first reason people have issues with their bag is because they did not drain it properly or even at all. Patients should try to drain their bag as much as possible to avoid it becoming full. They should check to make sure the bag is not expanding, and if it is then they should take care of the excess stool in the bag. Patients should check this every couple hours to be sure.

The next issue many users face is not wearing the proper clothes for their ostomy. The articles of clothing need to avoid coming in contact with the ostomy. This could mean wearing loose clothing or low pants. The friction of clothes rubbing against the bag could cause it to leak or break.

Finally, the adhesive is not compliant with your skin. There are lots of different skin textures and types and not all adhesive will work for everyone.

Being Different is Good

To me, health is all about the mental and emotional side of things. I realize that most don’t see health in such a light, but I’ve come to understand that all things health related dial back to the core elements of our conscience: cognition, feelings, and a sense of protection. Without these things, physical health won’t even matter much. To be human means to reason, to wade through the mysteries of the world with some semblance of sanity, and to try to understand ourselves.

 Only once those basic essences of our being are taken care of and tended to can we start to think about the physical side of things. Only then do the physical attributes of our character really stick out as being wrong or something hurting. I think that once you sit down and face your fears, face your instabilities, and face your emotions, you start to gain a better understanding of your physical nature. For example, having surgery on your abdomen to completely restructure your excretory system to fit the needs of your current physical health is something that scares most people.

Why is it that ostomy supplies and tending to a stoma would come off as “scary” to the majority? I think it harkens back to our inner nature of knowing when something is “wrong” or unnatural. And that’s all good and well from a biological standpoint. But humanity has transcended what is traditionally seen as “biological”, and so I think it’s important to not blame our nature or our ways on such primitive things. We’ve learned how to deal with fears or with taboo topics.

So why can’t we learn to adapt physically to something new, like living alongside ostomy supplies and relearning how to go to the bathroom? It really boils down to our sense of entitlement, I believe. Because we feel like we’re owed a normal human life and a normal human body, we lash out at others who suggest that it’s okay to be different or do things in a different way. We’re ultimately lashing out at what’s abnormal deep down, we just don’t process it that way when it comes down to it.

Instead, we process it via hurtful language towards others who aren’t “normal.” So, I encourage you to see the world from a different lens. Don’t look at things as normal and abnormal. Look at them as “variety 1” and “variety 132”. There’s a whole lot of things in between that just embody how varied humans can be, and all it takes is a new system of looking at things.

Avoiding Irritation Around Your Stoma

An ostomate can encounter many problems in the new ostomy life. The necessary thing is to take care of stoma skin and diet. An ostomy patient should ignore a single change in the stoma, peristomal skin, or stomach. 

Many ostomates think that there is a hole in the abdomen, so it will get red, burn, give rash, or itching. No, these are not the symptoms of healthy skin around the stoma. Moreover, the same is the case with the artificial opening in the belly skin. It should not get red or bleed. Healthy peristomal skin and stoma do not bother you.

Sometimes, there is redness around the stoma due to not a serious reason. It could be because of the allergy, a certain medicine, or an unfit ostomy pouching system. However, you cannot ignore the initial symptoms. It can give you some adverse reactions and diseases. If your skin is sensitive, then it will lead t further damage like dehydration, intense allergy, and yeast.

A peristomal skin may suffer if you do not know about the appropriate pouching system for your stoma. When you wear a loose ostomy bag, the stool or urine exudes from it. The contact of the discharge to the skin around the stoma can be problematic for you. The liquid or solid waste when touching the peristomal can cause redness, yeast, itching, and rashes. In the initial days, you will feel that this is normal itching or redness, but in a few days, you will face the adverse side of the leakage. It can damage the skin around the stoma, it can cause bleeding from the opening, it can disbalance the pH of the skin, dehydrate it, and even can damage the internal organs and stitches. The healthy skin around the stoma and stoma is not only necessary for the outer side of the body, but it is important to the same extent for the internal organs like colon, rectum, ileum, and incision part.

Reasons for Peristomal Skin Damage and Irritation

Ostomates face skin problems even after the healing of stoma. It has several reasons. Well, the reasons depend on the hygiene routine of the patient, diet, and ostomy appliances. So, we can say that there is no single cause for the skin damage of ostomy patients. 

Many ostomates do not know about the right tools for their stoma. Usually, they wear a too tight or too loose ostomy pouch. The tight gives them pain and cause irritation and bleeding, while the loose one is the reason behind the leakage of the discharge. It also damages the stoma and the skin around it. Therefore, the appropriate appliances according to the shape and size of the stoma are necessary. An ostomate should ask the nurse before choosing the ostomy pouching system. Moreover, your diet and bad cleaning habit can give adverse reactions. If you do not wash the stoma, ostoMy suPPlies, and clean the peristomal skin, it will damage your organ, opening, and skin. 

Treatment for Skin Irritation

The necessary thing for every ostomate is to take care of the cleaning habit. You cannot ignore the new part of your abdomen. You will have to keep it clean and dry all the time. Thus, you should wear appropriate tools on the hole. You should buy your ostomy appliances from a renowned company. Your health and imported tools should be the priority, after having a stoma. 

Moreover, you should not use normal or cosmetic soap, wipes, or deodorant for the peristomal skin. You should ask your doctors for the medics and essentials. You can only use medicated soap, sanitizer, soap, and spray. 

Furthermore, the change of the pouching system is important. You should change your bag three times a day. Your pouch should not get full or leak. Wash the stoma and peristomal regularly. The skin should be dry. 

How Should a Colostomy Patient Care the Stoma and Peristomal Skin?

After ostomy surgery, caring for the stoma, skin around it, and a new ostomy life is a purpose. It does not mean that the ostomate cannot live or enjoy the previous life. But, his/her routine gets changed. An ostomate should know the importance of stoma care. A person has to protect the stoma and peristomal skin like a baby. You will have to adopt a few changes in your life to clean and protect the opening and its surroundings.

For colostomy patients, it is necessary to take care of their diet and ostomy appliances.

Importance of Diet for Colostomy Patients

A colostomy patient has to think about every aspect. He cannot afford loose motion, diarrhea, or constipation. Therefore, a colostomy person should take care of their digestive system and stomach. A person knows about the food he can digest or not. Some people cannot eat red beans, it causes gas and motion. Therefore, they should not eat that. Moreover, some people face constipation because of the red meat. So, avoid that if you are a colostomy patient.

A colostomy person should eat soft foods and small four to five meals. You should avoid eating dry fruits, red beans, pulses, meat, processed food, junk meals, onion, fries, grilled food, and noodles. A colostomy patient should take fresh fruits, fresh juices, white rice, green vegetables, and fish.

Change of Ostomy Appliances

A colostomy patient should know when to change the appliance. A person should not wait for the leakage. Usually, patients do not change their pouching system until the output touches the peristomal skin or the bag gets full. Well, this is the wrong habit os ostomates. If you are facing constipation, still you should change your stoma bag. In the early days of the surgery, you should change your pouching system three to four times; however, you can change it two times a day, once you know about your stomach. The discharge in the ostomy pouch should not touch the skin at any cost. Therefore, make it a habit, change the ostomy appliances at least two times a day.

Cleaning of Peristomal Skin

Every ostomate should know the importance of clean stoma and skin around it. You cannot afford to ignore any allergy or change signs around the stoma. It can damage the stoma, skin, and internal organs. The necessary point is to prevent leakage. You should wear an ostomy pouch that is according to the size and shape of the stoma. If you will wear a loose pouch, the waste will touch the skin. It can cause burning, itching, and allergies. Therefore, you should clean the stoma and peristomal skin. You can wash the skin around the stoma with the medicated essentials. The skin should always be fresh and clean. Colostomy patients suffer from leakage problems the most. Therefore, an appropriate pouching system and the right time for changing the bag can save your peristomal skin's health.

Cure your Skin Allergies

For a healthy stoma and skin around it, you should not have any type of allergy. A skin allergy can damage your stoma and skin. Moreover, to avoid any type of allergy, you should drink plenty of water. However, if you are already an allergy patient, then you should discuss your condition with the doctor, before the surgery. You should use a doctor's recommended skin ointment. Moreover, if there is anything you are allergic to, then you should not eat that. Many people are allergic to a specific fabric. Some people cannot wear silk, it causes burning and itching; therefore, if you have the same problem, then avoid such things. Moreover, always use medicated products for the cleaning and washing of stoma and peristomal skin.

Necessary Details about Colorectal Cancer

In the USA, more than 140,000 cases of colorectal cancer have been diagnosed each year. Well, it is a curable disease; thus, do not worry. In this blog, we will study about colorectal cancer and ostomy. Usually, when there is a tumor in caecum or colon, patient diagnosis with colorectal cancer. Let's start some facts about this disease, its treatment, and the need for an ostomy.

A human body's large intestine is approximately five feet long. It starts from the caecum and ends at the rectum. It is also known as the colon. The large intestine or colon has the following parts;

·       Descending colon.

·       Ascending colon.

·       Transverse colon.

·       Sigmoid colon.

Thus, caecum is an ascending colon. At this point, small intestine ends, and colon starts. After this, a transverse colon attaches, it goes from the right to the left. The descending colon goes downward from the left of the transverse colon. It then goes to the sigmoid colon. It is S shape and part of the large intestine. This last section connects to the rectum. It is about eight inches long and goes to the anus.

A digestive system passes the content from the small intestine to the large intestine. It absorbs all the essential nutrients and sends the waste to the colon or large intestine. The colon does not eject solid waste. It waits for the signals. The parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems are responsible for giving signals to the bowel or body for the next discharge.

Colorectal Cancer

This cancer starts with the malformed of the colonial cells. These are the cells of the colon inner lining, called the lumen. These units multiply, move forward, and perform their function. Therefore, when a patient has a tumor in the colon, it grows slowly and expands the disease. With time, it abrades the layers of the bowel. In the initial stage, a person does not feel any pain or pang. However, these tumors get enlarged without giving you any feelings or signals. Sometimes, they spread so quickly. Within no time, these Polyps occupy the colon, lymphatic, and vascular system. These tumors are in different shapes and sizes. When they invade the entire large intestine, they cause cancer, called colorectal cancer.

Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer

As I write in the above para, these tumors do not give you pain or any discomfort in the initial stage. Moreover, it is a curable disease when it is in its early phase. However, it will show you a few symptoms when the polyps start getting size. But, every tumor will have a different size, shape, and location. Therefore, they will show signs to your body according to that. Thus, the following are some common symptoms of tumor or colorectal cancer.

·       Dark red blood in the stool.

·       Pain in the back.

·       Blockage in the lumen.

·       Pain in the lower abdomen area.

·       Palpable masses.

·       Change in the texture of stool.

·       Diarrhea.

·       Constipation.

·       Bloating.

·       Anemia.

·       Tarry feces.

·       Rectal bleeding.

Treatment for Colorectal Cancer

The cancer is curable. Especially, when it is in its early phase, it is 90 percent treatable. In a few cases, 95 percent operable. When a patient is at stage two, it is 75 to 80 percent curable. For stage three, it is 70 to 40 percent remediable. Well, the last stage or stage 4 is a little bit problematic. A patient has only a 5 percent chance to get over of it.

Moreover, colorectal has different treatments and therapies. It depends on the patient's seriousness, on which stage a patient is at. However, the common treatments for colon cancer are the primary, secondary, or adjuvant treatment. The options in these methods are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. The way of therapy depends on the goals of treatment.