Catheter Care

Catheter Care

Welcome to our catheter care section. Here you will find helpful information and advice on your catheter and how to use it.

The Bladder & Bowel Home Delivery Service can offer you expert advice about catheter care and help you find the right products to manage your condition.

For more information on catheter care and products delivered reliably to your door, call our Home Delivery Team on 0800 031 5406.

How Does A Catheter Work?

A catheter drains urine from the bladder into a drainage bag which may be supported at thigh or calf level. The leg drainage bag requires changing every 5 to 7 days depending on manufacturers instructions. A Belly Bag or a catheter valve…

Catheter Problems

Dealing With Urinary Catheter Problems Occasionally people may experience problems with their urinary catheters or accessories and the advice below should help. In all cases remember that good fluid intake is essential and often problems…

What Is A Catheter

A urinary catheter is a soft hollow tube, which is passed into the bladder to drain urine. Catheters are sometimes necessary for people, who for a variety of reasons, cannot empty their bladder in the usual way.

Drainage Bags

A drainage bag collects urine from a catheter or penile sheath. Normally there is a tube which connects the catheter or sheath to the drainage bag. With a catheter everything should be sterile. Drainage bags come in different sizes and can…

Disconnecting a Night Drainage Bag

If someone is doing this for you, they must wear disposable gloves. High standards of hygiene are essential at all times. You must wash your hands prior to handling your night drainage bag, see our 6 step handwashing guide here. How to…

Attaching a Night Drainage Bag

It is essential that high standards of hygiene are maintained at all times. You must wash your hands prior to handling your drainage bag, see our 6 step handwashing guide here.  How to attach a night drainage bag If someone is doing this…

Let’s Talk About Catheters.

Welcome to our dedicate a space where we talk about all matters relating to catheters. Leanna Benjamin who is a catheter patient, talks openly about what she wished she had known about having a catheter.  Firstly let us introduce you to…

Catheter Nurse Q&A

At Bladder and Bowel Community, we don’t want anyone to struggle or feel lost with their catheter needs - so we put your most-asked questions to Val, our urology nurse. The Community Asked… Our Catheter Nurse Answered! We asked the members…

Catheter Valves

Catheter valves can be used as an alternative to allowing urine to drain freely into a drainage bag. Read our guide to how they work, and what to consider.

Indwelling Catheters

Indwelling catheters can be used short-term or long-term. Short-term: these are frequently inserted after an operation or if you are unable to pass urine due to obstruction.  They may also be used to introduce therapeutic drugs or to…