Uh-oh! A Little Guide to Preventing and Managing Ostomy Accidents

When living with an ostomy, occasionally the unthinkable occurs: pouches or barriers trickle, a bag pops open, smells seep through; an endless range of situations all connected with owning an ostomy, waiting to materialize at any time.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. With proper care and planning, you can reduce or eradicate the opportunities of accidents occurring in the first place. And actually if there is a leak, blowout, or odor, a little planning will help make crisis management easy.

Certainly the most common accidents are leaks, blowouts, and odors. Let us summarize these scenarios in short, then we’ll examine some recommendations to best control these frequent predicaments impacting Ostomy surgery patients:

Leaks – A “leak” is when any output of the stoma trickles through the Ostomy appliance. Leaks will certainly form at the place of the very least resistance, and in a lot of circumstances get worse if not taken care of promptly. Common leak points are below the barrier (as a result of poor or compromised adhesive), through pouch closures (2 piece pouches), faulty pouching systems, or by means of punctures (uncommon to go undetected, but can nevertheless happen.)

Blowouts – Blowouts could be a royal pain and occur for a lot of of the exact causes why leaks occur – stuffed pouches (usually from filling up too quickly with gas), inadequately maintained bags, exterior stress on the pouch, and defective appliances. The part that pops wide open, just like leaks, is usually where the least resistance is.

Preventing Leaks and Blowouts

With a few basic actions, both of these types of scenarios can be avoided altogether:

1) Install a Pouch Relief Valve – Valves like the Osto-EZ-Vent can be installed directly onto pouches prior to use to quickly discharge gas buildup in a pouch. This will help the pouch from becoming too full too quickly, cuts back on bathroom breaks to relieve contents, and of course, helps prevent leaks and blowouts from pressure buildup inside.
2) Drain or Change Regularly – Keep an eye on the pouch contents and empty it when it is one-third of the way full. Not really quite there yet? If you have access to a bathroom and you are uncertain when you may again, take care of it. And also make sure you drain before bed to avoid any night time accidents.
3) Pack A Kit – Good kits must contain at least one full replacement and the wipes, products, room sprays and also the clean-up & disposal supplies you need for a complete change. This kit should stay on you if you’re travelling. Hold a fixed kit in the office or at school just in case.
4) Fast Fixes – If a situation develops and you do not have a kit handy for a replacement, you will need to repair the leak the very best you can. Find whatever you can (a paper napkin, paper towel, a band-aid, duct tape) which can be used to seal the leak. It is not an ideal fix, but it may buy you time to get to a restroom or to a private place to take proper care of it.
5) Wear Appropriate Clothes – For the more active individuals, moving a great deal heightens friction against the baseplate and/or bag, possibly triggering skin irritation... or at worst, producing a leak through bonding agents. Sporting loose garments may reduce this situation.
6) Eat Appropriately – Recognize how eating habit has an effect on your ostomy. All meals will digest differently, and this will affect how and when your ostomy bags fill up. For instance, drinking a lot of beer and having a giant supper before bedtime could possibly not be the greatest idea – you actually may find yourself waking up to clear your bag at least once or twice thru the night!
7) Bring a Room Spray – Purchase something powerful enough to reduce the effects of the odor instantly, not merely conceal them. Medi-Aire Odor Eliminator as well as Odor Assassin are both equally great choices to eliminate smells.
8) Devrom Supplements – These tablets are called “Internal Deodorant”, minimizing the odors of pouch contents.

Finally, if you are still having issues with leaks, blowouts, or odors, try modifying your ostomy products. Everybody's stoma is a bit distinct, so finding the correct products is key. Sometimes the Ostomy supplies you have got could possibly not be providing the ideal care.

For instance, flush or retracted stomas (in relation to skin surface), using a common barrier may cause contents to leak beneath the barrier and weaken the bond. Convex barriers, with a little inward bend, could be sufficient to avoid this from occurring. There are some situations where you would prefer to use a drainable pouch and some situations where a more discreet, disposable closed pouch is preferred.

Another example: adhesives are available in distinctive strengths, as well. Leaks could possibly result from an adhesive that basically isn't strong enough to hook up a barrier as long as you want to. The form of your pouch output matters, too; in the event that you have a far more fluid output, it's likely you require a far stronger adhesive to stand up against fluids.

Hence, if you are never pleased with your Ostomy appliances, don't become hesitant to try new products – you will quickly discover what you’ve been missing out on!

For ostomy supplies from Hollister, Coloplast and Convatec as well as other discount home medical supplies, visit STLMedical.com.

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Men, Here's Advice on Vacuum Therapy Tension Rings

Tension rings are a crucial part to penile vacuum therapy – as a matter of fact, in the interest of sexual intercourse, they may be far more important than the actual pump itself given that they are essential to sustain the produced erection.

Almost all medical vacuum pump products have a compatible ring system. A decent tension ring system has gone through medical trials for its effectiveness in using the required pressure to the correct spots for sustaining and encouraging erections adequately, and preserve them for as long as the individual needs it.

With that as the primary goal, there are however a number of aspects that a purchaser will want to think about when buying tension rings for vacuum treatments:

1) Durability – Will the rings sustain under strain, or during use? A typical complaint with tension ring systems are rings losing tension or snapping completely. And considering that there are hygienic matters with rings, they are seldom ever returnable unless of course they are new and in their package, so a tension ring purchase should be a confident one – or an experimental one until you find the rings you want to make use of.

2) Sizing and Tension – You are going to want a ring that fits perfectly and safely around the base of your unit, so sizing is essential. What is the proper size of tension ring? Well, with this part, you’ll have to try things out because it depends on an individual’s own physiology. There are many combos and methods to use the rings to get the most usefulness out of them. In many situations, to get the proper amount of tension, you may prefer to use both a High tension ring and a Medium tension ring to ensure a maintained erection.

3) Comfort – Given you’ve found the ideal size, a tension ring ought to fit comfortably at all periods during use. It shouldn’t move significantly or induce any pain.

4) Compatibility – Will the rings you select perform with the vacuum pump you happen to be working with? A vacuum therapy device often has a tension ring system, so the rings for that program will often be suitable with them. But is it feasible to interchange brands of penis pumps and rings? The answer is “it's possible”. In most cases any ring may be used to utilize tension – but if you would like to learn if a specific ring will load correctly with a vacuum system, you’ll should ask the dealer to see if the ring and vacuum therapy system is suitable.

Deciding on a tension ring system isn’t hard; just handle your first few tries as experiments and you’ll swiftly find the ideal combination of features to provide your individual needs.

Find Erec-Tech and home medical supplies at STLMedical.com.

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Compression Therapy Treatments for Various Health Conditions

Compression therapy is the wearing of stockings woven to provide a level of compression to the  lower limbs to help those who need a  professional medical answer for blood clots, edema,  poor blood circulation, and blood pooling in the legs.  Some are more susceptible to these problems, especially when sitting or in  durations of lengthy inactivity, for example, prolonged air travel.

Prior to going over compression treatments, we should distinguish between "Graduated Compression Stockings" and "Anti-Embolism" stockings.  These are 2 different things!!!

Graduated, or "gradient" compression leggings have a level of compression that begins with the greatest compression at the ankle, with marginally reduced degrees of compression up the leg.

Anti-embolism stockings, also known as TED Stockings or TED Hose (Thrombo Embolic Deterrent) have an important difference from graduated compression stockings - the compression on a pair of TED Stockings possess equal compression from the ankle to the leg.  For this reason, they can help in flow of blood and lymph body fluids in the lower limbs to help  avoid clots from forming. (Venous Thrombosis)

The following are some health purposes where compression therapy garments are generally indicated by doctors:

Lipodermatosclerosis - A skin related condition, possibly induced by venous disease, where the covering of  body fat beneath the skin becomes inflamed.  It  can lead the way to ulceration if not cared  for, and is most common in middle-aged ladies.

Chronic Peripheral Venous Insufficiency (CVI) - CVI is a disease where  defective or dysfunctional blood valves are not able to pump oxygen-poor blood back to the heart.  It's  typically in the legs, and common in females as  well as males who have dealt with leg  injuries.  Compression stockings, in a number of cases, have been used to stimulate proper  blood circulation.
   
Varicose Veins - Varicose veins are undesirable veins  visible through the epidermis.  They are typically  triggered by valves in the vein not meeting up  accurately when the blood pumps, giving in to the pressure and causing the blood to flow down  with gravity.  They can be painful and itchy, and  scratching them could induce ulcers to form.  There  are many treatments available for varicose veins, both therapeutic and  surgical.  A medical doctor who specializes in vein care,  known as a phlebologist, can supply the best solutions.  Often, compression stockings are recommended by a  physician to reduce pain, cease swelling, and  improve blood flow.

Lymphedema - AKA "Lymphatic Obstruction", this condition is when the lymphatic system  swells due to fluid retention.  The liquid is normally  returned to the blood and recirculated to tissues, but with lymphedema, this fluid  builds up, causing inflamed limbs, tiredness/fatigue, and if not  taken care of, deformities.  Lymphedema is sometimes hereditary,  caused by a compromised lymph node system, or after a surgical procedure that compromises the lymph node system.

Prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) - DVT is a condition affecting an estimated 350,000 Adults in America annually.  It's a clot  that shapes deep in legs, familiar among many post-surgery patients,  frequent air travelers, hormonal contraception,and  obesity.  Compression stockings help prevent DVT and ultimately defend  against its lethal counterpart, pulmonary embolism (PE).

Athletic Activity - During any type of running, swimming, boxing, biking, golf, or any athletic exercise, the legs and leg muscles are working hard.  Any time the calves and thighs get sore, it is normal for lactic acids to build up in the  muscle fibers.  Donning lower compression 15-20mmHg fitness compression socks has been proven to help speeding up recovery periods and reduce swollen, achy  limbs.

Getting Compression Stockings, Socks, and Hosiery Recommended
If you have a history or suffering from indications of the above conditions, you should seek advice from a vein expert and/or your physician before self- prescribing any compression stockings.  While the majority of healthy men and women can wear 15-20mmhg grade compression stockings, anything higher such as 30-40mmhg can do far more harm than good in some individuals, such as artery obstruction or blood pooling in parts of the leg.  Always consult a  health care specialist prior to managing with high compression!

Basically, doctors will determine the Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) - which should be >1.0 to wear compression stockings.  A physician or registered nurse can measure the correct fit for your medical stockings; precise sizing is essential to ensure optimum medical benefit.  If you will need a increased level of  compression, your medical doctor will understand and suggest a level of compression appropriately.Added with Posterous - Home Medical Supplies.

Avoiding Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections and Cathing Injuries

Nobody undergoing surgery or admitted into a hospital wants a  urinary catheter, nevertheless there are occasions in life where urinary catheters are certainly essential.  As an example, a post-surgery patient might discover shifting, (let alone urinating) extremely distressing without a catheter in position.  A catheter makes it possible for bladder relief without demanding the patient to adjust the entire body or tighten the urinary muscles.

There are countless urological factors why someone would use a catheter too, and many home care patients use catheters multiple times each day.

Catheters are not without risk, though.  And among the most frequent types of infection even in hospitals is from incorrect catheterization.  And microbial infection aside, the urethral structure where the catheter is introduced is very vulnerable and very easily irritated.  It calls for care and attention to effectively use a catheter.

Catheter bacterial infections and traumas are often the consequence of  improper use and management.  Let's examine each of these challenges individually and find out ways to keep them from developing.

Infections (CAUTI)

Known as CAUTI - or Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infection.  Any sort of catheter may trigger an infection, but in particular intermittent internal catheters tend to be the most common to compromise the body's natural ability to destroy and ward off an infection.

Almost all bacterial infections can be eliminated with sound practice when applying and replacing catheters - both the registered nurse and the patient. 

CAUTIS can be exceptionally agonizing, not to mention costly.  It is within the greatest interest of everyone to prevent them before they get started.  Here are several tips to make sure you do not develop a catheter infection:

1) If you're at a clinic, ask many questions about how CAUTI takes place, and the hospital's steps for catheterization.  Request the measures taken by the hospital to prevent bacterial infections.

2) Get family and friends involved if you can't get the suitable responses to your  questions.

3) Keeping hands and body thoroughly clean is the most essential step to protecting against bacterial infections.   Whether at home or at the hospital, any guests or caregivers should thoroughly clean their hands adequately prior to touching you, the catheter, or attached tubing.  Noone should be touching or handling the catheter or attached tubing unnecessarily or without cleaning their hands properly.
 
4) Ensure a sterile catheter each time; it is not okay to steam and  recycle catheters!  All catheters put to use must be opened from their sterile product packaging prior to use.

5) Keep soaps, anti-septics, no-rinse soaps, lubes, gels, and  various other washing choices  available for your own care and suggest the nurse use them as well.

6) If you are suffering from any pain, inflammation, or tenderness, let a health care expert know promptly.

Injuries and Trauma

Injury with catheterization is normally the outcome of impatient, improper, or sloppy procedures by a health care specialist or an individual. 

The urethral skin can very easily become compromised if catheters are not managed correctly, and in doing so, tends to make cathing more challenging and painful.  Serious traumas can definitely hurt the urethra to the point that surgery is needed, so great care must be taken!

Tips to avoid Catheter- associated injuries:

1) Be cautious and thorough.  Follow proper procedure, or ensure those procedures are being followed.

2) Make use of plenty of lube on the catheter.

3) Under no circumstances force a catheter inside, or force a balloon to inflate.

4) Align the urethra while placing and glide it in slowly.

5) Urine must pass before inflation of the balloon (Foley catheters)

6) If you notice blood or feel resistance when applying, seek help.

Certainly practice makes perfection -  however protecting against catheter bacterial infections and injuries is a lot like protecting against most risks to personal well-being - stay clean, ask questions, and stop if it hurts.  Stick to these three basic common sense guidelines and you can considerably increase your likelihood of fast recuperation and overall good health.

Visit STLMedical.com for good prices on Urinary Catheters and Urological supplies like urine leg bags, tubing, connectors, skin wipes and cleansers. They'll also submit for Medicare (which covers up to 200 catheters per month) and can accept some insurances.Added with Posterous - Home Medical Supplies.

Benefits of Vacuum Therapy and Penile Rehabilitation for Men

Vacuum therapy products provide an attractive solution to Ed; vacuum devices provide several benefits over other types of therapy, prescription drugs, and unpleasant surgical procedures made to treat erectile complications facing millions of men.  Here are several of the causes of precisely why many of those guys continue to benefit from their sex lives with the support of vacuum therapy devices:

1) Quicker effects compared to Drugs with Virtually No Unpleasant Side Effects - Vacuum devices produce almost immediate erections using negative force to pull blood in the penis.  Presently there are quite a few drugs for facilitating erections, but usually with side effects.  In reality, even in recent news, medications like Viagra are displaying more evidence for long-term side effects including hearing loss and unsafe blood pressure levels in some folks with pre-existing health illnesses that make using drugs less attractive, less sensible, or even detrimental to health and wellness.  Vacuum therapy devices simply do not have these damaging side effects, and generally work more rapidly than the 30 min - 2 hour period necessary to wait for the drugs to begin working.

2) Maintain and end erections on demand - With drugs, erections disappear as soon as the drug effects wear off, providing little or absolutely no control over the erection.  With vacuum therapy, the person is in total command of their erection, and when no longer needed, the individual simply has to get rid off the medical tension ring.

3) Ability to regulate erectile function - Vacuum therapy systems allow the individual to physically make their own erections, and eliminate them when they choose.  Compare with drugs, which offer the consumer no control over when they obtain or cease an erection.

4) Reduced long-term expense - Expensive ED Medications can certainly add up quick.  A professional medical grade vacuum therapy system will cost more up front, but offers erections at will for many years.

5) Paid for by some Health Insurance - A medical vacuum therapy device is normally covered under Medicare and quite a few health insurance.

6) Therepeutic and Predictable Effects - Vacuum therapy can be used for much more than merely attaining and maintaining erections for sex.  In fact, it's recommended that men have several erections per day to keep the penis and reproductive organs healthy.  The penile tissue requires blood flow to stay healthy and preserve its size.  Without having healthy erections to move this blood through the penis, the penile tissue becomes atrophied, making it more difficult to attain erections and degrades length with time.  Penile rehabilitation helps many  individuals preserve penile length and also achieve full erectile function when done properly with a vacuum pressure therapy system.

7) More than 90% Effectiveness - Erectile Dysfunction affects millions of men over the age of fifty.  There are few remedy solutions promising the levels of safety and effectiveness of Vacuum therapy.  Scientific studies by urologists indicate that vacuum therapy provides strong penile health and blood flow. 

Several of those suffering from ED often pursue drug treatments first - but medications are definitely not for everyone!   Some guys who suffer from ED can also have cardiovasular disease, nitrates for chest pain, high blood pressure drugs, diabetes, or have had a radical prostatectomy.  In these circumstances, drug treatments frequently can be unsafe or dangerous.   Vacuum therapy provides almost instantaneous outcomes without the side effects of using drugs.

There are many brands to choose from.  For medical grade vacuum therapy, two great options are Osbon Erecaid and Stamen Medical Systems Erec-Tech.Added with Posterous - Home Medical Supplies.