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How To Use Your Intermittent Urinary Catheter

When patients are first prescribed intermittent catheters, it is common for them to experience anxiety or fear. There are many reasons why your doctor may prescribe intermittent urinary catheters, including spinal cord injuries, urinary retention, incontinence, and other medical conditions. Regardless of your reason for using intermittent catheters, the Premier Catheter Supplies team is here to help. It is our goal to help ease your stress during first-time catheter use. An important first step is learning about how catheters work and what to expect during first-time intermittent catheter use.

Intermittent Urinary Catheters: What Are They?

Otherwise known as in and out catheters, intermittent catheters are used to help your bladder drain urine completely. They are inserted into your urethra or stoma and are comprised of flexible tubing that allows urine to flow freely. A common misconception about catheters is that not many people use them. In reality, there are millions of people who use intermittent urinary catheters daily! Some people use catheters due to spinal cord injuries, including Spina Bifida or MS, whereas others wear catheters to help with urinary retention or incontinence.

Bard Magic3 Go Male Hydrophilic Intermittent Catheter With SureGrip

First Time Intermittent Catheter Use: Tips & Tricks

To begin first-time self-catheterization, it is important to locate the insertion tip. The insertion tip is the slimmer side of your intermittent catheter and will have either a straight or coude tip. More commonly, people use straight tip catheters, but many prefer coude catheters due to their curved tips. This curved tip allows you to more smoothly glide past blockages, enlarged prostates, or urethral strictures. At Premier Catheter Supplies, we know this can be a stressful process, which is why our customer service representatives are always available to discuss your options and provide you with free samples. As always, your prescribing doctor can always recommend the intermittent urinary catheter that they think will best work for you.

Drainage Eyelets & Intermittent Urinary Catheters

Within intermittent catheters are drainage eyelets, which allow urine to drain completely from the bladder. These small holes are located around the insertion tip. Polished eyelets can improve the self-catheterization experience by providing additional comfort and reducing the irritation that can occur.

Intermittent Catheter Funnels

Funnels, otherwise known as connectors, are located at the opposite end of the insertion tip. Intermittent catheter funnels connect to various receptacles, such as drainage bags or portable urinals. These funnels use a universal color-coding system to portray the french size of each catheter.

What Is An Intermittent Catheter French Size?

As with any treatment, there is not an identical treatment that will work for everyone. When it comes to intermittent urinary catheters, there are different sizes, lengths, brands, and products available so that each patient can find their perfect fit. To measure a urinary catheter, we use French sizes, which measures the diameter of a tube. There is a range of French sizes, from pediatric to adult, or 5-24 French sizes. The universal color-coding system specifies the French size of each intermittent catheter. It is important to find the right French size for you so that urine can smoothly flow from your bladder comfortably. Having too large of a French size can lead to painful insertion while having too small of a French size can cause urine to overflow and leak from your intermittent catheter

Lengths Of Intermittent Urinary Catheters

There are three main lengths of intermittent urinary catheters:

-Pediatric Catheters (6”-12”)

-Female Catheters (6”-8”)

-Male Catheters (16”)

It is common for pediatric and female catheters to be shorter than male catheters because their urethras are shorter. Shorter catheter lengths are also commonly used by people who wish to be discreet about their catheter use. At Premier Catheter Supplies, we have an extensive supply of catheters, including pocket-sized, travel-friendly intermittent catheters.

Intermittent Urinary Catheter Kit Delivery

At Premier Catheter Supplies, we care about our customers. It is our goal to provide high-quality catheters to each of our customers. We also know about the stress that often comes with first-time intermittent catheter use, which is why our catheter experts are always available to discuss options and give advice. We offer free catheter samples so that you can find the perfect fit. With an extensive supply of top catheter brands and nationwide delivery, Premier Catheter Supplies is just a call away. To learn more about intermittent catheters or to place your order, call Premier Catheter Supplies today!