Understanding Your Stoma

Having to undergo ostomy surgery is a situation in which you don’t really have a choice. The concept of having to live with an opening in the belly to expel body wastes seems quite daunting. In such situations, the best way is to move forward and live to the fullest. Sure, there are going to be some changes, and those changes might also affect your lifestyle, but the basic understanding of a positive mindset is all you need to get over the challenges. In this article, we will discuss how to have an understanding of your stoma.

What is a stoma?

A stoma is an abdominal opening that expels intestinal or urinary waste materials. Your doctor may want to give you a stoma if you have a malfunctioning bladder or an underlying condition in the GI tract. The types of stoma include a colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy. The location of the stoma varies depending on the type of ostomy, its location on the bowel, and other factors. Your doctor will tell you about the stoma type and location in detail.

Regardless of what ostomy type you are going to have, you need to keep in mind that the purpose of a stoma is to save a life. It means that if you think of having to live with a stoma as a hard undertaking, you may need to consider the fact that your life might not be possible without it. Several problems, such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, and incontinence, can be life-threatening. Having a stoma may be your best bet to have a healthy start yet again.

In a literal sense, a stoma is the end of the bowel sticking out on the abdomen. It is red, moist, and soft to touch. It has an overall appearance that of the inside of the mouth due to the mucous membrane.

You are going to have to wear an ostomy bag over the stoma to manage stool evacuations. This bag fits over the skin around the stoma using a skin barrier, which has an adhesive side that goes against the skin.

Initially, you may find it difficult to take care of your stoma and the skin around it. However, it is just a matter of time when you will get used to the new way of using the toilet. The skin around the stoma can develop complications due to coming in contact with the stomal output regularly. That’s where you can consider using peristomal skincare products to prevent and treat any irritations in that skin area.

Diet restrictions

Depending on the type of stoma you have, you may have to stick to a restricted diet plan. It is to ensure a smooth recovery after surgery. After stoma surgery, your bowel will be in its most vulnerable state. You are going to have to keep the discomfort away from it through a restricted diet plan.

When your bowel recovers after surgery, you can eat pretty much everything you want, unless you suffer from a condition that requires you to follow a specific diet plan.

For more information in this regard, you may want to contact an ostomy care nurse or doctor.

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