The risk of having an injury to your stoma is a constant concern, especially if you like to engage in sports. Not many people discuss the injury risk associated with having a stoma, but it is a necessary discussion. An injury can be quite painful and cause severe complications. Avoiding this injury can help you maintain the quality of life for good.
Common reasons for stoma injuries include the use of incorrect pouch systems, tighter ostomy belts, and contact with a blunt object. In this article, we will discuss ways to prevent these injuries.
Avoiding and treating injuries to a stoma
- If you have a stoma, you will want to avoid engaging in sports that involve a lot of impact and friction. You might want to engage in strenuous physical activities, such as weight lifting, and your stoma may not stop you from that either, but you will still want to have a word with your doctor to make sure that you are fully fit for it.
- You will need to use your ostomy pouching system regularly. Incorrect use of the pouching system can lead to a higher risk of injury. You will learn how to an ostomy pouch from an ostomy care nurse after surgery. While at home, you can always contact a nurse to ask about the right way to use an ostomy pouch.
- If you want to prevent injury to your stoma and the skin around it, you may want to invest in ostomy armor, which consists of a belt and plate that covers your ostomy appliance. Medical authorities have approved it to be fit for use during flights.
- In case you have an injury, make sure to clean the stoma and the skin around it. You may want to use a saline solution to irrigate the area to keep it clean and fresh. Certain skincare products keep the stomal output or mucus from coming in contact with the injured part of the skin. You may use those products, but be sure to ask your doctor before purchasing. Using the right products will help you prevent infections that irritate the stoma and the skin around it.
You must talk to your doctor if pain and discomfort due to injury doesn’t subside. It may be worth mentioning that most of the injuries recover on their own. If the problem worsens, it needs medical attention right away. The doctor will recommend medications, which might include antibiotics, to treat the inflammation that has occurred due to the unhealed wound. In some cases, doctors refer a patient to the surgeon to treat the injury-related problems through surgical intervention. Those extreme cases generally involve internal damage due to the impact on the stoma.
It is highly unadvised to ignore an injury. Your injury may not be quite bothersome at the moment, but you have to take it seriously by contacting your ostomy care nurse as soon as you can. A stoma is delicate that can transport the impact of an injury to the internal diversion. With a quick consultation with your doctor, you will be able to fix the issue before it gets worse.
