Living with a urinary catheter can feel daunting at first, but with the right care and attention, it can become a safe and manageable part of daily life. Catheters are medical devices designed to help empty the bladder, and while they provide essential support for many people, they also require regular maintenance to prevent complications such as infections, blockages, and discomfort.
This guide explains what a urinary catheter is and provides five practical tips you can follow each day to help keep your catheter functioning properly, protect your urinary health, and make life a little more comfortable.
Read: 8 Myths About Living With Urinary Catheters Busted
What is a urinary catheter?
A urinary catheter is a flexible tube used to empty the bladder and collect urine in a drainage bag. They are usually inserted by a doctor or nurse.
They can either be inserted through the tube that carries urine out of the bladder (urethral catheter) or through a small opening made in your lower tummy (suprapubic catheter).
There are two main types of urinary catheters:
- Intermittent catheters – these are temporarily inserted into the bladder and removed once the bladder is empty.
- Indwelling catheters – these remain in place for many days or weeks and are held in position by an inflated balloon in the bladder.
5 essential tips for catheter care
Looking after a catheter doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does require consistency. By following a few simple steps every day, you can greatly reduce the risk of infection, improve comfort, and make sure your catheter continues to work as it should. Below are five key tips to guide you in caring for your catheter safely and effectively.
1. Stay hydrated to support urinary health
Keeping well-hydrated is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to maintain good catheter care. Drinking an adequate amount of water throughout the day helps flush bacteria from the urinary tract, reducing the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Adequate hydration also ensures that urine remains diluted, which makes it less irritating to the bladder and catheter system. A steady flow of urine helps keep the catheter functioning smoothly and prevents blockages. Unless otherwise advised by your healthcare professional, aim for six to eight glasses of water per day, and try to spread this intake evenly over waking hours.
2. Regular cleaning to prevent infection and maintain comfort
Talk to your doctor or nurse, who can provide you with detailed instructions on how to properly clean and maintain your catheter, reducing the risk of urinary tract infections. General practices include regular cleansing of the catheter site, maintaining a sterile collection system, and staying well-hydrated.
Clean the area where the catheter enters your body daily with mild soap and water to reduce the risk of infection.
Health professionals may also advise you to flush the catheter on occasion to prevent blockages. This is usually done using pre-filled syringes of sterile sodium chloride (saline) solution, which gently rinses through the catheter tube to clear away any debris, sediment, or mucus that may cause an obstruction. The procedure is carried out under clean conditions to avoid introducing infection and helps keep the catheter working smoothly between routine changes.
3. Avoid kinks and twists in the catheter tube
The catheter tube must remain free from bends, twists, or pressure points to allow urine to drain properly into the collection bag. Kinks in the tubing can obstruct urine flow, which may lead to discomfort, leakage, or even infection if urine remains stagnant.
To minimise risks, ensure that the tube is positioned carefully when sitting, standing, or lying down. Keep the tube secured to your leg or clothing with clips, straps or sleeves, and avoid placing heavy items on or around the tubing. Regularly checking the catheter’s positioning helps ensure that urine continues to flow freely.
4. Empty the drainage bag regularly to prevent overfilling
Emptying the drainage bag at the right time is an essential part of catheter maintenance. Allowing the bag to become too full can cause urine to back up into the tubing, increasing the risk of leakage, infection, and discomfort.
A good routine is to empty the bag when it is about half to three-quarters full, or at least every three to four hours, depending on your fluid intake and urine output. Always wash your hands before and after handling the bag, and use a clean container if measuring output is required. Establishing a regular emptying routine helps keep the system hygienic and reduces the chance of complications.
For those using intermittent catheters, the approach is slightly different. Instead of managing a drainage bag, the catheter is inserted temporarily to empty the bladder and then removed. In this case, following a regular schedule — often every four to six hours – helps prevent the bladder from becoming too full, reducing strain and lowering the risk of infection.
Some people with long-term catheters may also use a flip-flow valve instead of a drainage bag. This small tap-like device attaches to the catheter and allows urine to be stored in the bladder until released into a toilet or container at regular intervals. If you are using a flip-flow valve, it is important to empty the bladder as directed by your healthcare professional, typically every two to four hours, to avoid overfilling and to keep the bladder muscles active.
5. Monitor the signs of infection
Signs of a UTI may include a persistent urge to urinate, burning sensation while urinating, cloudy or strong-smelling urine, and lower abdominal pain. In severe cases, you may also experience fever, chills or back pain.
If you do experience any of these symptoms, you will need to contact your GP, who will request a urine sample and will test it for a UTI. If positive, they will prescribe you antibiotics.
Additional resources for catheter care
- The National Association for Continence
- The Urology Care Foundation
- The National Kidney Foundation
- NHS urinary catheters
- Royal College of Nursing catheter care guidance
- NICE quality statement 4: Urinary catheters
- NHS urinary catheter tools
- Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Local Health Economy E. coli bloodstream infection reduction group
- NHS guide on living with a urinary catheter
Everyone’s experience with catheter care is unique, and often the most helpful advice comes from those who live with it every day. Do you have any tips, routines, or personal experiences that have made managing a catheter easier for you or someone you care for? Share your thoughts in the comments box, on social media or contact us to share your personal story.
I have had a suprapubic catheter since 2018, after around 10 years of intermittent self catheterisation (ISC). One thing I have found is open-tipped catheters. They are a complete game changer.
Regular catheters tend to have a closed tip, and the urine enters the catheter through two tiny slits. When I lived in Rotherham the district nurses that changed my catheter every six weeks used this type, and they frequently became blocked by debris in the bladder, requiring flushing.
When I moved to Mauchline, in Scotland, the district nurse saw what I’d been using for a few years, saw how painful cath changes were for me, as they had a ridge right at the end and this would catch and stick to the inside of my bladder.
My district nurse showed me how tiny the urine drainage holes were on the catheter, and switched me to open-tipped ones instead. Presto! No more blockages, no more trauma on removal, and changes have been moved to the maximum 12 weeks apart now. I haven’t had a blockage, infection or any issues since the switch to open-tipped.
Thanks Dan for your insights. I also got my catheter in 2018 I may need to consider your suggestion to my district nurses on their next visit. Emma dash Crip LIFE editor
I’d definitely recommend it. It has really changed my life. I no longer get anxious nefore catheter changes, and can actually have a conversation with the nurse while she’s doing the change, and then she says all done and im like what? It takes seconds now to get one out and a fresh one.back in.
Obviously everyone is different and has different responses.and.needs but its gotta be worth a try at least right?
BTW, my district nurse is named Karen and she’s lovely. We talk about allsorts when she comes.to see me, have a right chinwag lol