There are some potential complications with the use of a catheter that those using a catheter should be aware of. These include blood infections, urinary tract or kidney infections, kidney damage, bladder stones and allergy or sensitivity to latex. Some of these complications can be reduced by learning how to properly care for a catheter and others are just a risk you are faced with. This doesn’t mean that you will suffer from anyone of these potential complications but it is important that you know what they are.

Urinary tract infections are among the most common complications from catheter use. The risks of this can be greatly reduce by proper cleaning and disinfecting of the catheter itself, as well as the drainage bag, and thoroughly cleaning the area after all bowel movements. Drinking an adequate amount of fluids will also help to prevent infections. You can talk with your health care provider to learn more about how to care for your catheter.

It’s also important that you are aware of the signs of potential complications that can occur. This will help you to detect the signs early enough to get the proper treatment without much discomfort. Most of them will be easy to recognize.

Blood in the urine, or cloudy or thick urine is the easiest to notice since you can visually see this. If you feel any tenderness around the catheter puncture, have a large amount of leakage, or feel any bladder spasms that don’t go away, it’s important that you contact your medical provider. These are only a few of the signs you need to look for.

There will be specific things you will need to know depending on which type of urinary catheter type you are using. You can do some research online, but discussing it with your medial provider is necessary, especially if you do find something online that raises questions. It should be noted that you should never attempt to clean or care for your catheter on your own from something you find online. It would be in your best interest to talk with your nurse or doctor beforehand.

Be sure you follow the steps exactly as your nurse or doctor tells you to. Ask any questions you may have when they are taking you through the steps. This will ensure you are doing everything correctly and you will avoid infection.

There will be many small and large details you will need to pay close attention to in order to facilitate your best experience with catheter use. Write down pertinent information and be sure to ask questions if you are unsure of anything before you need to do this for yourself. This will reduce any unfortunate and avoidable accidents.

The Internet is a great place to find many answers to your questions, but it would be in your better interest to run them by your Medical Equipment provider to ensure the information is correct. Remember, there is no way of knowing if the person is a doctor or just a person giving their advice on a Catheter Products. This doesn’t mean it’s not good information, but it would be best to get the okay from your doctor or nurse.

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