Managing Catheters And Catheter Usage

Managing catheters is all about planning ahead and anticipating change. If you are new to the world of

catheters, it might take some getting used to before you start feeling normal with catheters. Catheters

are used when patients are unable to urinate for various reasons. Patients who are bed ridden due to a

complex surgery, an accident or due to fractures, form one class of people who require catheters to

urinate. Another class of people who use catheters are those who develop conditions such as an

enlarged prostate and are consequently unable to urinate naturally. More often that not, people who

are made to use catheters have undergone trauma and pain and getting them to learn to live with

catheters is one of the most difficult aspects of managing catheters and catheter supplies. Thus, the first

step to efficiently manage catheters is to prepare the patients mentally. Once this is done, everything

else becomes a lot easier.

If you are administering catheters yourself, it is always better to befriend some fellow catheter users.

This can not only help you bond with people and increase your social circle, but this will also help you to

talk to people who might have a similar set of problems, aspirations and issues as you. This will help you

overcome difficulty in using catheters. You will do well to join online forums that cater to the specific

needs of those who use catheters. In all, there is a lot of information available both online and offline

that you can use to manage catheters and lead a better life.

Procuring catheters and catheter supplies is one of the biggest problems faced by patients, especially

those that have recently been discharged from the hospital. While most hospitals will give you extra

catheters and catheter supplies when you are discharged, eventually, you will have to start procuring

these yourself. You can check up with your insurance provider and see if your insurance policy covers

catheters and supplies. If so, then your job is half done. Just call up a catheter manufacturer that is

registered with your insurance provider and order your catheters and catheter supplies online. In such

cases, most manufactures will bill the insurance company directly and deliver the catheters right to your

doorstep. You can also procure catheters by visiting the nearest pharmacy and showing your

prescription. This will save you some effort of researching on the internet and ordering accordingly,

however, you might have to depend on the discretion of your pharmacist.

Finally, one of the most important aspects of managing catheters and catheter supplies is knowing the

type of catheter that would suit your specific needs. There are three broad types of catheters:

indwelling, intermittent and external catheters. Intermittent catheters are the most widely used and are

suggested for continual use. Indwelling catheters are suggested for use by those patients who require

catheters for a prolonged period of time. Indwelling catheters can cause internal infection. External

catheters are worn like condoms and are suited to men who are always on the move. Knowing which

catheters are best for your condition is a key part to understanding them.