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.

Some of the symptoms possible include blood in the urine, cloudy or thick urine, and tenderness around the catheter puncture. In addition, you may also experience a large amount of leakage around the catheter, bladder spasms that does not go away and little to no urine when you have been drinking large amounts of fluids.

Different urinary catheter types will require specific types of care. This is something you will learn when the catheter is placed by your medical health provider. It's important that you ask questions. A great place to do some research is online, but you should consider this research only. Discuss your findings with your doctor or other health care provider. It is not suggested you attempt to follow the instructions that you find online.

Be sure you properly follow the self-care steps you've been given by your doctor when caring for and cleaning your catheter. These instructions will help you to disinfect the catheter, as well as the drainage bag and the area around your catheter. Each and every part will need to be cleaned regularly.

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.

There is no problem with researching information regarding medical supplies on the Internet, but you should never use this information until you speak with your doctor. Even if the advice seems valid, there is always a chance it could put you in harm's way. You don't have any way of knowing if the person giving the advice is a doctor or just a person relaying his or her own experiences.



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