Common Issues Related To Ostomy Bags

To check whether or not an ostomy pouch fits your requirements well is to see if the use of it results in uncomfortable issues. Those issues include leakage, bleeding, and irritation.

Leakage

An ostomy pouch should form a seal with the skin barrier for a predictable amount of time. It means that it should not allow any leakage to occur between the time when you connected the skin barrier with the skin and the time when you are going to have to take it off. Some common reasons for leakage may include the following.

• If the opening of the skin barrier is too large, the stool can come in contact with the exposed part of the skin, allowing leakage to occur under the skin barrier.
• Sometimes, you might face a problem setting the skin barrier on the peristomal skin. That can lead to the creation of pockets between the skin barrier and the skin. These pockets can compromise the ability of the adhesive to form a proper seal. As a result, leakage can occur.
• A stoma must protrude above the skin by a few centimeters. If there is no protrusion, it can result in the skin barrier’s inability to cover where the skin and stoma meet. This problem can be fixed with the help of convex skin barriers.

Skin problems

The skin around the stoma should be similar to the skin on the rest of the abdomen. If there is a difference, you are likely to have a peristomal skin issue. Apart from pain painful, skin problems can also compromise an ostomy pouch’s ability to adhere nicely to the peristomal skin.

It is necessary to address the root cause of the problem. You will need to see the reason behind the skin problems. Once you find out the problem, you can fix it with the help of an ostomy care nurse. They may suggest you some skincare products to treat your problem.

Next, you will need to make sure that the ostomy pouch you use fits around the stoma. The skin barrier should settle nicely on the peristomal skin.

Bleeding

There can be varying reasons for the bleeding to occur. First, you will need to determine where the blood comes from. You can press that spot a little and clean the area with a dry, clean pad. It will solve the problem in most cases.

If there are spots of blood in the stool, you need to contact your nurse for guidance. Heavy bleeding means a bigger problem. It is something you cannot afford to ignore.