Do you have questions about foley catheters, or urethral catheters? Perhaps you or a loved will be having one fitted soon, and you currently know little to nothing about foley catheters, or how they work. Or maybe you just want to learn more?

We wanted to give you a real run down of the basics: the top-level information to know about foley catheters.

If you’re looking to learn more, and want more of a deep dive, you can read A-Z Urethral Catheters, which covers the topic in more detail, including a break down specific guidance for catheter users.

But today, if you’re just looking for the basics, you’re in the right place.

What is a foley catheter?

Let’s start right at the beginning: what actually is a foley catheter? A foley catheter, or urethral catheter, is inserted through the urethra to effectively drain urine from the bladder. A foley catheter is held in place by a water filled balloon.

The urine then flows from the foley catheter into a leg bag or towards a catheter valve which acts like a tap (depending on which is most suitable for the patient).

Who might need one?

A urinary catheter is used when a person has difficulty urinating naturally. This can happen for many different reasons. These include urinary retention, when someone is unable to empty their bladder naturally, as well as neurological conditions which can affect the nerves that control the bladder.

Foley catheters can also be used to empty the bladder before surgery, or for medical tests.

How long might someone use a foley catheter for?

Again, this varies from person to person, depending on why the catheter is needed. For some people, they will only use a catheter for the duration of a surgical procedure. For others, a catheter might be a permanent necessity. Even if someone needs to use a catheter on a long-term basis, the catheter itself will be replaced with a new one by a healthcare professional around every three months.

How is a foley catheter fitted?

A foley catheter is fitted by a healthcare professional. They will have a detailed conversation with you before the catheter is fitted, to explain why you are having it fitted, and for you to answer any questions you might have.

During the procedure, the healthcare professional will aim to keep everything as clean and sterile as possible to minimise the risk of infection. This means that they’ll clean the area around your urethra opening (the tube that allows urine to leave the body) thoroughly before inserting the lubricating gel, followed by the catheter. Some catheterisation gels also include some local anaesthetic (numbing) for more comfort.

Inserting the catheter via your urethra shouldn’t be painful, especially when a lubricating gel is used, although you might feel some discomfort.

Can I still take part in my day-to-day life?

Exercise

Everyone is different, but on the whole, using a catheter shouldn’t prevent you from exercising. This is something that a healthcare professional can provide guidance on and support with.

The healthcare professional may advise that you need to take a few extra precautions. These might include making sure that your catheter is properly fixated. This means ensuring that the catheter and leg bag (if applicable) is securely attached to your body.

If you want to read more about keeping active with a catheter, you can read our blog on this topic here.

Travel

Travelling with a catheter just takes a little more planning. This includes ensuring that you have all the catheter supplies you will need well in advance of your holiday to ensure you don’t run out while on your trip.

Many catheter users worry about going through airport security with a catheter and leg bag, but there are things that you can do to mitigate these worries.

You can find more information on this here.

Intimacy

In short, having a healthy and active sex life is totally possible when using a urinary catheter. Like exercise, the person using the catheter may just want to take extra precautions, and there may be some practical elements to consider.

Your healthcare professional will be able to guide you on this, and you can find a bit more information about this in our blog post.

We hope that this has given you a quick overview on the basics of foley catheters. If you’d like to learn more, you can read our blog A-Z Urethral Catheter, which goes into a bit more detail.

The most important thing to remember: if you’re ever in doubt, always ask a healthcare professional.