Stoma complications, such as peristomal skin redness, itching, irritation, and leakage, may seem quite alarming, but the good news is that dealing with these issues is not hard. All you have to do is to avoid getting into the panic zone. The Internet provides tons of information in this regard, and if you are not sure what to do, you can contact your ostomy care nurse at any time.
In this article, we will discuss some general tips regarding how to take care of your stoma at home.
Sore skin
The area around the stoma is known as peristomal skin. This small area of skin plays a critical role in your quality of life. Peristomal skin issues can result in itchiness, soreness, odors, discomfort, and lack of adhesion between the skin barrier and the peristomal skin.
The best way to deal with this problem is to check your peristomal skin more regularly. Contact an ostomy care nurse immediately if you notice any change in that area. The nurse will give you comprehensive instructions regarding what to check for when analyzing the peristomal skin and what measures you need to take to get rid of those issues.
Poor-fitting ostomy barrier
There can be various reasons for a poorly fitting ostomy skin barrier. This lack of fitting can result in significant damage to the peristomal skin, as the stomal output gets in contact with it.
It will be worth mentioning that your stoma shrinks over time. It settles to a permanent size after six weeks of surgery. At the time when the stoma size changes, you will need to measure it quite often to make sure that the opening of the flange you use is of the same shape and size that of your stoma.
You will want to use a stoma measuring guide to create the perfect-sized opening in the flange you are about to use. If you are using a cut-to-fit skin barrier, you can use those measurements to cut the flange to create an opening of the desired shape and size.
Leakage under the skin barrier
Leakage under the skin barrier can happen for a variety of reasons. Generally, you will want to use a skin barrier that fits around the stoma and offers an adequate seal with the peristomal skin.
Next, you may want to look at your skin. The peristomal skin should be as smooth as the skin elsewhere on the abdomen. Few skin complications also compromise this seal. In such cases, you will need to ask your ostomy care nurse about the products that you may use to treat your peristomal skin.
Constipation with a colostomy
You do not want to experience constipation if you have a colostomy. It can result in hard stool whenever you have a bowel movement, which can force the stoma to open too wide. This condition generally results from the use of certain medications and dietary choices. You will want to increase your fluid intake to counter the risk of constipation.
Blockage with an ileostomy
Lack of function with an ileostomy may be due to the blockage or obstruction, which can result in severe abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, and other issues. It is crucial to contact your doctor immediately if you notice that you are experiencing constipation.
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