Colostomy support belts are classified as ‘accessories’ for ostomy. It is totally your choice to add a belt for your care, or not. Although these belts are super-beneficial to provide your colon a sense of security; and are the best support for colon issues such as Diverticulitis, Colorectal cancer, Crohn’s Disease, and Ulcerative Colitis.
You’d need one.
Check out a guide in this article in choosing the best colostomy bag support belt. Also, see here for colostomy bag hernia support belt.
Table of Contents
WHY YOU SHOULD GET A COLOSTOMY BELT
You should consider an ostomy belt when you have a stoma [an opening created in the abdomen when a person can no longer eliminate waste normally.] The belt is fixed to any ostomy appliance that is attached to the stoma. It could be an ostomy bag or pouch. Plus other functions, ostomy belts provide maximum comfort and prevent leaks from edges around the stoma.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SUPPORT BELT
Purchasing an ostomy support belt shouldn’t be that difficult. You can ask for assistance from professionals on the type of belt to purchase. A competent belt should have the following qualities; you should choose from these qualities.
Comfortable and Long-lasting
You should go for belts that give maximum comfort and stay functional for a very long time. High quality materials usually give great comfort and are not unnecessarily too tight. That is why you should not consider purchasing a low-quality belt [perhaps because your ostomy is not severe.] All belts should be of high quality.
Sufficient for Recuperation
You should look out for high quality bags; not ones that would deter quick healing as a result of being too tight and not flexible.
Flexible
Although the primary purpose of belts is to secure the colostomy bag and other appliances to the body, there is a need to get a belt that is easy to switch and turn, especially in cases where the body needs to move when the bag is covered with waste.
Plus, naturally, these belts are elastic, they shouldn’t be too tight to secure the body. They should be flexible enough to expand when the ostomy bag fills with waste.
Adaptable for any lifestyle
As an athlete, you have nothing to lose when you get a good colostomy belt. It secures the bag placed on your ostomy, so it doesn’t shift away or fall off while you’re on a race. It should be sufficient for daily activities such as sleeping, swimming, sexual activities and physical exercise.
Your lifestyle should not be limited by the quality of the colostomy bag belt you purchase. Life must move on, comfortably and effortlessly.
Adequate Hole Diameters for Comfort
A good belt should have hole diameters that fit comfortably around your ostomy bag, and should have multiple hole placements left, right and center for comfort.
Perfect for the Body Shape
An important factor you should consider when choosing a colostomy belt is that the width placement should be perfect, fit and adaptable to your body contours