To treat an irritated stoma, gently clean the skin with warm water, dry thoroughly, and use the crusting technique: apply skin barrier powder, brush off excess, then spray with a skin prep/barrier liquid, let it dry, and apply a correctly sized pouch to protect the skin from output. Identify the cause (e.g., poor fit, leakage, harsh soap, forceful removal) and consult a stoma nurse for persistent issues, as treatment involves correcting the cause and using specific products like barrier creams or antifungal powders if needed.
Skin color changes from normal pink or red to pale, bluish purple, or black. A rash around the stoma that is red, or red with bumps – this may be due to a skin infection or sensitivity, or even leakage.
The most common signs of a peristomal skin infection include:
The mucus can sometimes cause irritation around the skin, on your bottom, so using a barrier cream such as vaseline or sudocream can help.
In this situation, skin surrounding the stoma is prone to breaking down. To treat the damaged skin and prevent further harm, apply Cavilon to healthy skin and a mixture of equal parts Vaseline and stoma paste to the excoriated area.
You may start to feel waves of cramping and pain, which may worsen if the problem is not resolved. Some self-help tips include stopping eating solids but increase your fluid intake. Drinking warm drinks can also help stimulate the bowel. Having a bath may ease the abdominal pain.
This pain is often due to intercostal nerves caught in scar tissue or even stitched when the surgeon closes the site. This can lead to irritation and inflammation that produces a burning or stabbing sensation in the area of the colostomy site.
If you are using a closed bag, you may be changing it 1-3 times a day, it varies from person to person. For those with a drainable bag, particularly with a urostomy or ileostomy, you may be changing it daily or even every other day.
What are the Most Common Stoma Complications?
you have lots of blood coming from your stoma, or in your stoma bag. you have signs of dehydration. poo has not come out of your stoma for much longer than is normal for you, or you feel uncomfortable. you have severe tummy pain.
After a colostomy, the bottom part of the bowel no longer has poo passing through it, but it still produces mucus. Dead cells from the lower bowel or rectum may be mixed in with the mucus. The mucus may leak out of the anus, or you may feel the urge to go to the toilet.
If the stoma does not protrude above the skin, the stool may get under the pouch seal and cause leakage. A convex pouching system can provide some pressure around the stoma to force output to get into the pouch and not under the skin barrier seal.
Skin irritation around your stoma is usually caused by leakage from your ostomy pouch and the output from your stoma getting underneath the adhesive and onto your skin. It is uncomfortable and can stop your pouch from working well. The skin around your stoma should look similar to the skin on the rest of your body.
Aim: Anecdotally, many ostomates believe that eating marshmallows can reduce ileostomy effluent. There is a plausible mechanism for this, as the gelatine contained in marshmallows may thicken small bowel fluid, but there is currently no evidence that this is effective.
Use skin barrier creams or anti-chafing gels: Creams or ointments with zinc oxide and/or petrolatum can help reduce friction between your affected skin by creating a barrier.
My Stoma is Painful to Touch
Discomfort is often due to issues with the surrounding skin or tissue. Common causes include irritation, parastomal hernias, granulomas, or trauma to the area. Sometimes, complications like bowel obstruction or scar tissue can also be painful.
A person with an ileostomy will need to empty the pouch about five or six times in a 24-hour period. If you have a colostomy, you will need to empty the pouch two or three times in a 24-hour period.
How to Help Relieve the Irritation
Some common signs of an infected stoma may include:
Disability is not about whether you can walk a certain distance or have fully functioning limbs. Whether or not you feel disabled or class yourself as disabled, in the eyes of the law living with a stoma does class you as having a disability.
Clear, non-caffeinated sodas such as 7-Up, Sprite or ginger ale. Diluted juices such as apple, grape, cherry or cranberry (avoid citrus juices) Clear soup broth or bouillon. Popsicles.
Common pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen (NSAIDs) are available in sugar-free liquid formulations. However, be mindful of the potential side effects of NSAIDs, such as discolored feces. In conclusion, sugar-free liquid acetaminophen is recommended for pain management in ostomy patients.
Spicy foods, some vegetables (onions, cabbage, peas, and beans) and fizzy drinks have been known to increase wind, so try to avoid these. Avoid drinking with your meal as this can cause you to swallow excess air. Eating regular meals will reduce the build-up of wind.