How Do You Use a Stoma Belt?

You probably have an ostomy if you’ve undergone a colostomy, gastrostomy, or an ileostomy. An ostomy is an artificial opening in your abdomen created to help you eliminate waste from your body. This opening (stoma) facilitates the rerouting and removal of body waste through several attached appliances. Do you have ostomy gadgets or a stoma? Then you must consider trying a stoma belt. It offers ostomy patients a great deal of comfort and better security. Keep reading to find out how an ostomy belt from Stealth Belt could be a game-changer for you.

What is a Stoma Belt?

A stoma belt provides support for the ostomy appliances attached to your stoma.  The belt has loops that help you to attach it to your ostomy bag before wrapping it around your whole abdomen. Contrary to popular belief, stoma belts are not accessories. They come with much-needed advantages that render them a necessity for all ostomy patients. Let’s take a look at how you can use a stoma belt and the benefits it provides.

Supports Your Ostomy Pouch

The ostomy pouch carries some weight of its own and, without proper support, it would weigh down and overwhelm your stoma. Most people use adhesive tape to support the ostomy pouch but this will no longer be necessary if you have a stoma belt. Imagine the comfort and convenience of switching to a skin-friendly stoma belt instead.

Whether you have normal or sensitive skin, you are bound to feel the irritation that comes with placing and removing adhesives from your skin. These adhesives are pretty damaging especially, to patients with overly sensitive skin. If you use a convex skin barrier, a stoma belt ensures that it remains firmly sealed. This way, you can stop worrying about your stoma detaching or snagging on your clothes. Your ostomy pouch remains exactly where you want it.

Unmatched Comfort

You are bound to feel the weight of your stoma belt around your abdomen if it isn’t firmly supported on your body. Stoma belts are specially made to match your natural body contours, ensuring that you remain as comfortable as possible when wearing them. With the pouch held firmly in place, you don’t have to worry about adjusting it every time it moves around. Don’t be surprised if you forget you had an ostomy pouch in the first place!

No Leaks

A good number of ostomy patients experience random leakages from their pouches around the stoma edges. That usually comes about due to your pouch shifting positions as you go about your daily activities.

Instead of adjusting your ostomy pouch every time you bend to tie your shoes, you can use a stoma belt to hold it firmly against your body throughout the day. You can go jogging or bend as many times as you need to without the pouch moving an inch. With a stoma belt, you can say goodbye to messy leaks.

No Skin Rashes

While we are grateful for ostomy bags and the convenience they provide, the rashes they bring are nowhere near pleasant. If your ostomy pouch is not adequately supported, it will rub and drag across your abdominal skin, causing a skin rash. We don’t need to tell you how uncomfortable and irritating skin rashes can be, let alone the risk of infection involved.

Scratching rashes near your stoma could cause tiny skin openings that cause possible infections and irritation. Stoma belts hold the bag firmly in place so it does not move unless you want it to. That means no skin rash and less irritation.

Improved Confidence

Having a stoma and ostomy bag takes some getting used to and even when you do, it could take its toll on your self-esteem. Most ostomy pouches show through your clothing and may have people inquiring about it. A stoma belt doesn’t just support your ostomy bag. It fastens it directly against your abdomen, making it harder for anyone to notice the pouch. Now you can go about your normal daily activities without worrying about people pointing out your ostomy bag.

Using a stoma belt is pretty straightforward. Once you attach your ostomy bag and wrap it around your abdomen, you are good to go. You no longer have to worry about your pouch snagging on stuff and causing you discomfort. If you are having trouble getting used to your ostomy pouch, we are confident that a stoma belt will make the transition more bearable for you.