How to Self-Catheterize

How to Self-Catheterize

Most people insert their catheters in the bathroom, letting the urine drain into the toilet. You’ll get a container to collect your urine in case you need to insert your catheter somewhere else.

Follow these instructions to help you insert your catheter:

1. Clean your hands.

• If you’re washing your hands with soap and water, wet your hands, apply soap, rub them together thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, and then rinse. Dry your hands with a disposable towel, and use that same towel to turn off the faucet.
• If you’re using an alcohol-based hand sanitzser, cover all of your hands with it, rubbing them together until they’re dry.

1. Gather your supplies on a clean surface. You’ll need:
   • Your catheter
   • Water-based lubricant
   • Paper towels
   • A container to collect your urine if you’re not able to catheterize in a bathroom.
3. Clean your penis with soap and water or a baby wipe. Make sure to dry the tip of your penis completely before catheterizing.
4. Stand in front of or sit on a toilet. You can also insert your catheter in a private room using a container to collect your urine. Don’t insert your catheter while standing in the shower.
5. Apply lubricant to the tip of the catheter. Hold the catheter in your dominant hand (the hand you write with).
6. With your other hand, hold your penis. Aim your penis upward towards your abdomen (belly). Make sure to stand over a toilet or a container to catch the urine that will flow from the catheter.
7. Insert the catheter slowly and gently into your penis. Push the catheter in until you see urine flowing from the catheter. To be safe, push it in another inch once you see urine flowing to make sure it’s fully inside your bladder.
8. Hold the catheter in place until the urine flow stops.
9. Slowly take the catheter out of your penis. The catheter may drain some more urine on its way out so continue to stand over the toilet. If you see urine draining out, stop pulling out the catheter and let the urine finish draining. Then, continue to take the catheter out.
10. If you’re going to reuse your catheter, clean it with soap and water. Let it air dry on a clean surface. Once it’s dry, store the catheter in a clean place covered with a paper towel or in a zip lock bag. If you’re not going to reuse your catheter, you can throw it away.
11. Clean your hands following the insertion of the catheter and throw it away.Using Your Catheter
    Follow these steps to insert your catheter:Wash your hands well with soap and water.
    Collect your supplies, including your catheter (open and ready to be used), a towelette or other cleaning wipe, lubricant, and a container to collect the urine if you are not planning to sit on the toilet.
    You may use clean disposable gloves if you prefer not to use your bare hands. The gloves do not need to be sterile unless your provider says so.
    Move back the foreskin of your penis if you are uncircumcised.
    Wash the tip of your penis with Betadine (an antiseptic cleaner), a towelette, soap, and water, or baby wipes the way your provider showed you.
    Apply the K-Y Jelly or another gel to the tip and top 2 inches (5 centimeters) of the catheter. (Some catheters come with gel already on them.) Another type is soaked in sterile water which makes them self-lubricated. These are called hydrophilic catheters.
    With one hand, hold your penis straight out.
    With your other hand, insert the catheter using firm, gentle pressure. DO NOT force it. Start over if it is not going in well. Try to relax and breathe deeply.
    Once the catheter is in, urine will start to flow.After urine starts to flow, gently push in the catheter about 2 more inches (5 centimeters), or to the “Y” connector. (Younger boys will push in the catheter only about 1 inch or 2.5 centimeters more at this point.)
    Let the urine drain into the toilet or special container.
    When urine stops, slowly remove the catheter. Pinch the end closed to avoid getting wet.
    Wash the end of your penis with a clean cloth or baby wipe. Make sure the foreskin is back in place if you are uncircumcised.
    If you are using a container to collect urine, empty it into the toilet. Always close the toilet lid before flushing to prevent germs from spreading.
    Wash your hands with soap and water.
    Cleaning Your Catheter
    Some catheters are meant to be used only once. Many others can be re-used if cleaned appropriately. Most insurance companies will pay for you to use a sterile catheter for each use.If you are reusing your catheter, you must clean it every day. Always make sure you are in a clean bathroom. Do not let the catheter touch any of the bathroom surfaces; not the toilet, wall, or floor.Follow these steps:

    Wash your hands well.
    Rinse out the catheter with a solution of 1 part white vinegar and 4 parts water. Or, you can soak it in hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes. You can also use warm water with soap. The catheter does not have to be sterile, just clean.
    Rinse it again with cold water.
    Hang the catheter over a towel to dry.
    When it is dry, store the catheter in a new plastic bag.
    Throw away the catheter when it becomes dry and brittle.

    When away from your house, carry a separate plastic bag for storing used catheters. If possible, rinse the catheters before placing them in the bag. When you return home, follow the above steps to clean them thoroughly.

    How To Use A Urinary Intermittent Straight Male Catheter

    Review Date 1/10/2021
    Updated by: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

    You have symptoms of a urinary tract infection. These may include:
    Pain or burning when you urinate.
    A frequent need to urinate without being able to pass much urine.
    Pain in the flank, which is just below the rib cage and above the waist on either side of the back.
    Blood or pus in your urine.
    A fever.
    Your urine smells bad.
    You can’t pass any urine.
    Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your healthcare provider.

    When to Call the Doctor
    Call your provider if:

    You are having trouble inserting or cleaning your catheter.
    You are leaking urine between catheterizations.
    You have a skin rash or sores.
    You notice a smell.
    You have penis pain.
    You have signs of infection, such as a burning sensation when you urinate, a fever,

    Remember to always carry extra catheters with you in case of an emergency.