Here you express that someone should be thankful to God (whom you profess to not believe in) that they don't know how that feels and then in a later post you say that you've never experienced having one. Your own set of facts at work?
If you experienced childbirth or any other non-ambulatory procedure, or any medical procedure that involved the use of general anesthetic or the use of a muscle relaxer like synthetic curare then you've probably had one. And it was probably a Foley with the inflatable bulb to hold it in place inside the bladder.
The long-term use is more prevalent in men due to prostrate issues. And yes, there is a surgical procedure to deal with that in extreme cases. It's called a transurethral resection (TURP for those that like acronyms). Basically the urologist/surgeon runs a drill bit up that particular pipe and reams it out. Lovely.
The urethra passes through the middle of the prostrate (it's shaped like a donut, bad design, but I'm sure there was a good reason at the time) and when it swells due to inflammation caused by an infection (or worse) the urethra can be pinched completely shut and then the bladder can't be evacuated. Very bad (and very painful). It will lead to death if not dealt with in a timely manner.
The worst case scenario is probably cancer. Prostrate cancer first causes swelling in the gland, often to the point of obstructing urine flow (which is where the catheter comes into play). If that cancer is treated (not always a good choice) then after treatment, successful or not, there's usually substantial scar tissue remaining in that area to deal with. That scar tissue can, and often does block urine flow. Incontinence is another very real post-treatment possibility.
Bladder cancer is another possibility that can obstruct urine flow while the patient slowly dies from it.
And then there's bladder stones that can obstruct the bladder's outlet to the urethra. The catheter can be inserted to displace the stone (or stones) and allow the bladder to be evacuated.
In cases where that obstruction is caused by inflammation due to a treatable infection then the catheter is a good temporary solution. Unfortunately the prostrate isn't blessed with great blood flow so it takes a while for antibiotics to work their magic. Again, the catheter saves the patient's life until the infection abates.
And speaking of infections, way back when (before antibiotics) catheters were a necessary evil should a gentleman become infected with gonorrhea. Men often had to carry one at all times (why do you think Fedoras with their hat-bands were so popular?) Fortunately the sulfonamide family of antibiotics and penicillin came on the market about the time mens' hats were falling out of fashion favor.
Diabetes is yet another ailment that can have a very negative effect on parts that region of the body . . .
And there are times that once swollen, always swollen (like from that cancer treatment). So in those cases it's either the catheter or the roto-rooter surgery comes into play . . .
Now have a nice lunch. I recommend the iced tea to go with that . . .
You probably see commercials for dietary supplements like saw palmetto as well. Same issue for men, but before the need for the catheter (hopefully).
And let me add the sentiment that I hope that you never have to use them although it's a bit less stressful for women than for men due to the distance from the outside to the bladder's sphincter.
I've had to have one once after a surgical procedure. But I also have to admit that it felt wonderful, at least after its tip hit home. That's probably because I felt like I was about to explode down there; VERY painful bladder distention, even with the morphine drip (it was the day after surgery.) And I didn't even feel it being inserted until the relief started but that may also have been due to that morphine drip.
This post was edited by Salt and Red Pepper at October 4, 2017 11:38 AM MDT
Oh, for the want of a letter! Prostate is a gland found in male mammals, but prostrate, with an r, means to lie face down. Get them mixed up and you'll thoroughly confuse your doctor.
Now I shall answer the first question that everyone else ignored. Why are there so many ads? It's ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY. Advertising is a big business and the cath makers make people aware of their special brands. They know they can increase the cost of them substantially higher than the advertising costs knowing the insurance companies will pay for them. That's how business works. And yes, I had one after a surgery and it is not as bad as people who have not had one think it is.
There is a number of conditions that make it impossible for someone to void the bladder or empty it entirely. If it never gets empty, they're at risk for infection, as well as bladder and kidney damage. Also, if the bladder fills up and someone can't empty, they'll often just start leaking. A lot of the conditions that cause this are treatable, either by operations or medications, but it depends on the cause. Someone with paralyses or nerve damage, for example, isn't going to have much luck treating it. Someone with a blockage may. It just depends on the root cause.
So, the gross part is that many insurance companies will not pay for disposable catheters or will only pay for a certain amount. That leaves people reusing their old ones. Some are designed to be sterilized and reused, but whether people actually do sterilize them properly is anyone's guess. Plus, having to sterilize them is a chore. If you're disabled to the point where you need a catheter... eh... odds are you're going to have trouble with the sterilization process. If you're aa familial caregiver, as you know, the last thing you need is another chore to add to your care-giving duties. So, there are a lot of folks out there reusing dirty catheters, which puts them at serious risk for infection.
I'm pretty sure, given your personal experiences in caregiving, that you know how difficult it is to navigate the system. You don't always know what's available to you unless someone tells you. So, they do have to advertise to get the word out that their programs exist. And, the services are very much in need.
I don't even know what it means. I saw a commercial about cath and had no clue. That was a long time ago and I never tried to find out. I guess if I ever need to know I'll know.
A tube is inserted into the urethra and up into the bladder. The urine drains into a bag. They are used for the numerous reasons given by others who have answered this question.
Give the statistics of prostate issues with men as they advance in age through the 60's through the 80's, I notice that such adds will appear late at night [as well as ads for those with intestinal stomas (colostomies)] where they are more likely to reach their target audience---men of advanced age. (Surprisingly, the colostomy supplies ads have a woman as the spokesman (and a colostomy patient as well.)]
They seem to appear in cycles ---alternating ever one or two months in the fairly recent past.
There are additional treatments specifically to shrink a benignly enlarged prostate. I happen to take a medicine that has a side effect of keeping one's prostate at the appropriate size. I suspect that's a reason I have no problems at almost 72'
And catheters in the middle ages were made of metal; and the wild-West cowboys had to make do with a plant straw (so I have either read or heard about 20 years ago and unfortunately cannot reference the "straw.")
Zack 