An ostomy is a surgically created opening, usually on the abdominal skin. The reason you may need an ostomy is the malfunctioning bowel or bladder due to a disease or injury. While this bladder or bowel diversion tends to be a life-saving procedure, it comes with a host of challenges. The situation can be even more challenging if you undergoing cancer treatment. However, most of these challenges can be overcome with proper information on what to do.
Because not many professionals are fully aware of ostomy problems and their solutions, you must understand your body and manage your ostomy problems the right way. This article tends to provide that information.
Ostomy-related challenges during cancer treatment
The problems occurring due to an ostomy include the ones related to your stoma, peristomal skin, and the ability of your ostomy pouch to make a seal with your abdominal skin. Complications can occur as side effects of chemotherapy, radiation, malnutrition, weight changes, and delayed wound healing.
Skin problems are more frequent compared to other complications of a stoma. if you have a high-output stoma that produces a lot of watery stomal waste, it becomes hard for an ostomy bag to remain in place. With the stomal output coming in contact, the peristomal skin can have irritation, which can become worse to cause infections. A long-term or regular interaction of the stomal output with the peristomal skin can result in dermatitis, which can be quite painful.
Stoma complications occur as a result of the weakness of core abdominal muscles. One of those complications is a parastomal hernia, which involves bulging of the bowel through weakened abdominal muscles. The bulge is usually visible in the peristomal skin. Another complication is the occurrence of sores on the stoma. These sores are known as mucositis. This condition is usually the result of chemo or radiation.
Problems related to the ability of your ostomy pouch or barrier to staying in contact with the peristomal skin can occur due to a host of reasons. The most common of those reasons is the parastomal hernia, whose resultant bulge can make it hard for an ostomy skin barrier to make a seal with the peristomal skin. Another issue is stoma retraction, which results in the stoma sinking below the abdominal skin. This situation can make it extremely difficult to attach the ostomy pouch around the stoma.
Another quite serious issue is the change in bowel habits. The too reduced or too increased stomal output is not normal. These problems are mostly related to diet, water intake, cancer treatment, and medications.
Managing ostomy problems
In most cases, you will need to change the ostomy pouch to fix the problem. You may also need to consider using some accessories to make ostomy management easier. Certain products can help maintain the health of your peristomal skin. You may consider using some products if you have irritation in this part of the skin. For more details, you can speak to your ostomy care nurse.
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