As with most things in life there are always potential complications and the use of a catheter is not excluded from this. When you are forced to use a catheter some of these complications include urinary tract or kidney infections, blood infections, kidney damage, bladder stones and allergy or sensitivity to latex. It doesn’t mean that any of these are an inevitable outcome of using a catheter, but there is a chance and you should be aware of potential problems.

Almost all types of catheters have a high risk of urinary tract infections, whether it’s short term or long term use. This is the most common complication. Fortunately, however, there are methods of reducing this risk. You can do this through proper cleansing and disinfection of not only the catheter, but also the drainage bag and the personal area after all bowel movements. You’ll want to talk with your health care provider for exact instructions on how to properly care for your catheter and reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.

Learning what signs and symptoms you need to look for will help to recognize any of the complication and prevent them from getting worse. Some of them will be easy to recognize while others are not as visibly noticeable.

Blood in the urine, or cloudy or thick urine is the easiest to notice since you can visually see this. If you feel any tenderness around the catheter puncture, have a large amount of leakage, or feel any bladder spasms that don’t go away, it’s important that you contact your medical provider. These are only a few of the signs you need to look for.

There will be specific things you will need to know depending on which type of urinary catheter type you are using. You can do some research online, but discussing it with your medial provider is necessary, especially if you do find something online that raises questions. It should be noted that you should never attempt to clean or care for your catheter on your own from something you find online. It would be in your best interest to talk with your nurse or doctor beforehand.

Your medical provider will walk you through all of the steps of properly caring for and cleaning your catheter and every part that is attached to it. Be sure you are paying close attention as you will need to implement the information provided. Drinking eight to ten glasses of water daily will help to not only produce urine but also avoid constipation, which will reduce urine leakage.

Never be afraid to ask your doctor any question, no matter how silly you think the question may be. One thing many people neglect to do is drink enough water daily. You should drink eight to ten glasses of water each day to not only reduce infection, but to also reduce the chances of being constipated. Constipation can lead to leaks.

You can also search online to learn more, but it’s not a good idea to trust everything you read online. You’ll want to discuss what you find online with your medical health provider first. There’s nothing wrong with looking for advice online regarding Catheter Supplies, but be careful about following something your Medical Supplies provider has not approved of in your individual case.