Protect Yourself From Infection When Using Intermittent Catheters
If you’re using intermittent catheters for whatever reason, it’s important that you take steps to protect yourself from infection. When used properly, a catheter isn’t a dangerous thing. It can, however, come with the problem of bladder infection. This is, in fact, the most common problem with catheters. Bacteria can travel very quickly from the catheter to the bladder, causing all kinds of problems once there. Whether you’ve been using intermittent catheters for ages or have just started using them, these are some steps to take to protect you from infection.
First off, it’s vital that you wash your hands every single time you catheterize yourself. You will, of course, want to wash them afterwards, but it’s also important to wash them before you insert a catheter. This will keep at least some of the bacteria off of your catheters that would otherwise transfer there from your hands.
If you’re using disposable catheters, make sure they stay in their sterile wrappings until you’re ready to use them. Then, only open the wrappings after you’ve washed your hands thoroughly. If you’re using reusable catheters, make sure to wash them properly, and store them somewhere clean until you are ready to use them. A plastic bag isn’t exactly sterile, but it can keep your catheter clean until you’re ready to get it out.
When you do clean a reusable catheter, it doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process. Simply find a solution that works for you. Some people boil theirs to kill bacteria, and other people use a mild bleach solution. Some people even use vinegar, which kills very nearly as many microorganisms as bleach. Whatever you use, just make sure that you’re making up a formula that will kill bacteria while leaving your bladder intact.
All of these steps are vital to ensuring that you keep your catheters clean and your bladder infection free. You can also take secondary steps, though. For instance, drinking cranberry juice has been shown to reduce or reverse bladder infections. This can be a good preventative step for those who are using intermittent catheters on a regular basis. Also, you need to know the signs of a bladder infection so that you know what to look for. As soon as an infection starts, get it taken care of so that you can reverse the problem before it gets worse.
June 22 2010 10:25 am | Health