An ostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an artificial passage for the release of stool. Ostomies are often necessary due to diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or colon cancer. The type of ostomy will depend on the severity of your condition and what you can deal with. If you have just been diagnosed with an ostomy, one thing you’ll want to do is make sure that your home is equipped with all sorts of supplies for dealing with it. This article lists four different accessories that will help make living with an ostomy, whether temporary or permanent, much more manageable!
1. Stoma powder
Stoma powder is a must-have for any ostomate. It works to reduce the odor of stool by absorbing moisture and fighting bacteria associated with it. Be sure to ask your doctor about what type of stoma powder they recommend before using one on your own, as some types can be harmful if applied directly to the skin surrounding your stoma.
2. Paste or gel
Like stoma powder, paste or gel can be applied to the skin surrounding your ostomy to reduce odor. It is especially useful when you are not wearing a pouching system and have leakage from stool around your bag opening. By using paste at the flange’s inner opening edge, you will be able to protect exposed skin from your waste. The paste is mostly used by people with an ileostomy condition. There are several products on the market that make this simple but effective accessory easy to use! Your ET nurse will give directions for applying paste or gel to your skin, and you can always ask them for samples as well.
3. Belts and belts pads
Belts and belt pads allow you to wear a close-fitting pouching system without discomfort. They are especially useful for people with ostomies that may have excess skin or extended stomas since they help the bag fit more snugly against your body. Most belts are made from elastic or Velcro, and some even come with gel pads that help your bag fit more snugly against your body. Belts and belt pads come in a variety of different styles, so feel free to experiment with them until you find one that works well for your body type!
4. Wipes
After you empty your pouch, it’s important to keep the surface around the stoma clean. That is why ostomates usually use wet wipes or cloths of some sort to prevent infection and reduce odor. Wipes are not only great for cleaning your skin after emptying a pouch; they can be used with paste/gel at the flange’s inner opening edge as well! Be sure that any wipe product you buy specifically states “for use on the peristomal area.” This ensures that the product will not irritate sensitive skin surrounding your stoma. Therefore, it is wise to invest some money into moist wipes to improve hygiene around your stoma site, which helps reduce infection risk at home.
Hopefully, you have now been able to find some ostomy accessories that will help improve the quality of your life. Choosing which ones are right for you is a personal choice, but be sure to talk with your doctor and ET nurse about the types of ostomy accessories that they recommend.
Ostomy Management 