Rectal discharge

People who have had a colostomy that has left their rectum intact often experience a discharge of mucus from their rectum. Mucus is a liquid that is produced by the lining of the bowel and acts a lubricant, helping the passage of stools.

The pattern of rectal discharge can vary in each individual. Some people experience episodes every few weeks, while others experience several episodes a day.

The most effective way to manage discharge is to sit on the toilet and ‘push’ down on your bowel muscles as if you were passing a stool. This should allow the mucus to pass out of your rectum.

In some cases, the mucus can irritate the skin around the anus. Using a barrier skin cream should help to reduce skin irritation.

If you are having problems expelling the discharge from your rectum, you should contact your doctor because you may require additional treatment. One treatment option is to use glycerine suppositories. These are small capsules that you insert in your anus. When they dissolve they make the mucus more watery so that it is easier to expel.

Phantom rectum

Phantom rectum is a complication that is similar to a ‘phantom limb’, where people who have had a limb amputated feel that it is still there. People with phantom rectum feel like they need to go to toilet even though their colon is no longer functioning. This feeling can continue to occur many years after surgery. Some people have found that sitting on a toilet can help relieve the feeling.

Parastomal hernia

In general terms, a hernia occurs when an internal part of the body, such as an organ, pushes through a weakness in the muscle, or the surrounding tissue wall.

In cases of parastomal hernia, the intestines push through the muscles around the stoma resulting in a noticeable bulge under the skin. People with colostomies have an increased risk of developing parastomal hernias because the muscles in their abdomen have been weakened during surgery.

Effective ways to prevent a parastomal hernia developing include:

• exercising to strengthen the muscles in your abdomen,
• avoiding heavy lifting and straining, and
• maintaining a healthy weight as being overweight, or obese, can place additional strain on the abdominal muscles.

Parastomal hernias are not usually painful, but they can make holding the pouch in place, and changing it, more difficult.

Surgery may be required to repair the hernia. One possible option is known as ‘mesh repair’, which involves the weak spot in the muscle being covered with a patch of mesh in order to stop the intestines slipping through again.

Related articles:

1. Introduction to Colostomy
2. The need for, and who requires Colostomy
3. How Colostomy is performed
4. Recovering from a Colostomy
5. Living with a Colostomy
6. Ileostomy
7. Digest­ive dis­order: Irrit­able bowel syn­drome
8. Glu­ten intol­er­ance — Coeliac dis­ease 
9. Inflam­ma­tion of the gall­blad­der — Acute cholecyst­itis 
10. Appen­di­citis – the causes and symp­toms

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Related posts:

1. How a colostomy is performed
2. Colostomy
3. Who requires a colostomy?
4. Recovering From A Colostomy
5. Living with a colostomy
6. Complications of bladder cancer
7. The complications of indigestion disorder