Cloth Diapers Vs. Catheters: A Comprehensive Comparison

Cloth Diapers Vs. Catheters: A Comprehensive Comparison

One of the numerous changes that come with becoming older is incontinence, often known as unexpected leaking; about 12% of males and 60% of females over 60 deal with urological difficulties. 

But incontinence can also be caused by other conditions, such as pregnancy, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, prostate surgery, obesity, childbirth, or a transient health condition. When the underlying reason is manageable, incontinence typically only lasts a short while and is easily controlled. Nevertheless, there are instances where it becomes worse and ultimately cannot be treated.  

You must make a vital decision when it comes to living a healthy life with incontinence. This involves considering the benefits and drawbacks of the two popular options for managing incontinence: adult cloth diapers and catheters.

What Are Cloth Diapers For Adults? 

Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers are diapers made of fabric and are reusable. They tend to be cotton, wool, or other similar fabrics. No matter what size or shape you need, they are versatile and simple to use repeatedly. The two main parts of a cloth diaper are the inner layer that absorbs liquid and the outer layer that’s waterproof.  

These layers’ structure and design separate one brand of adult cloth diaper from another. While some absorbent inlays are integrated, others are detachable.  

When you compare cloth diapers and disposable diapers, using adult cloth diapers will save you far more money over time than disposables. You can clean and reuse these adult diapers, unlike their disposal counterparts and catheters. 

However, disposable adult diapers also have many perks: 

a. Minimizes the outbreak of skin rashes. 

b. Innovative designs enable easier usage. 

c. Absorbs more fluids. 

d. Convenient to use

Pros of Adult Cloth Diapers

  • It’s easy to find cloth diapers for adults. They are widely available at supermarkets, convenience stores, and large box retailers. They are even available for purchase online with convenient delivery to your home or workplace.  
  • The fact that they come in a wide range of sizes, from extra-small to extra-large, is an additional perk.  
  • You can choose between different absorbency levels. Select light absorbency to accommodate sporadic leakage or maximum absorbency to provide extra protection.

Cons of Adult Cloth Diapers

  • Adult underwear, including diapers and pads, can cause skin irritation if not changed often enough.  
  • Switching out and washing your reusable diapers can further reduce the pleasure of using them. This is particularly true at night when moisture might interfere with a good night’s sleep.  
  • Also, insurance usually does not pay for adult diapers, which can be quite pricey.  
  • Leaks can occur from poorly fitting absorbents and low-quality products.  
  • Lastly, you might notice an embarrassing smell or hear sinking or crinkling. 

What Are Catheters?

Catheters

A urinary catheter is essentially a silicone penile sheath (sometimes called a pipe) that is inserted into the patient’s body as a conduit to drain the bladder and gather urine. Its exposed surface remains concealed beneath the wearer’s garments. Patients with limited movement or those who will only be bedridden for a brief period often have this alternative suggested to them.  

Urinary catheters come in various forms, including indwelling, external, and intermittent catheters.  

  • Intermittent catheters – These catheters, sometimes known as Nelaton or “in/out” catheters, are temporarily placed into the bladder to enable emptying and then taken out. 
  • Indwelling catheters – They are also termed Foley catheters. The idea is to keep them in the bladder for extended periods. 

Due to the numerous adverse effects of employing catheters, a doctor will only recommend a silicone urinary catheter as a last resort to address incontinence.

Pros of Catheters 

  • Helps bedridden patients empty their bladder. 
  • Facilitates treatment of urinary tract obstruction. 
  • Their concealable nature ensures privacy and discretion.  
  • New designs are soft and pliable for improved comfort. 

Cons of Catheters

Cons of Catheters

  • Urinary Tract Infections 

Most catheter infection cases typically involve treatable urinary tract infections (UTIs). It will substantially impact your overall welfare, given that it can induce considerable discomfort and psychological distress. Because a urinary catheter is essentially a tube, bacteria may enter the body through it and cause infections in the bladder, urethra, or kidneys. Some signs of urinary tract infections (UTIs) brought on by catheter use include aches in the groin or stomach. 

  • Leakage around catheters 

This issue can happen with any indwelling catheter. It may be the result of bladder spasms or the passage of bowel movements. It is an indication that the catheter is blocked in some way. When it comes to indwelling tubes, blood in the catheter is another typical concern. 

  • Bladder Spasms 

When the muscles that surround the bladder tighten or contract, a painful and burning feeling known as a bladder spasm can ensue, typically accompanied by an overwhelming need to pee. This condition might be as uncomfortable as stomach cramps. 

  • Injury to Several Parts of the Urethra 

During their insertion, the catheter might cause damage to some parts of the urethra. Also, since Alzheimer’s patients tend to yank it out owing to their agitation, this is another prevalent concern among those who have the disease.

What Research Says About Catheters 

Research about Catheters

One of the most common types of hospital-acquired infections, per the National Health Safety Network, is catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). They can lead to several serious medical problems, including bacterial endocarditis, pyelonephritis, and urosepsis. Aside from patient safety problems connected with CAUTI conditions, there is rising worry about the incidence of multidrug-resistant infections.  

A national study examined how many CAUTIs were caused by pathogens resistant to multiple drugs in long-term acute care hospitals. They found that vancomycin was ineffective against Enterococcus faecalis in 44% of cases recorded in 2010 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in 25% of those cases. At the national level, Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are responsible for at least 13,000 fatalities annually.

Final Verdict

As long as the patient or guardian swaps the diapers frequently and practices good hygiene, adult diapers, in general, are safer for managing incontinence than catheters because the right fabric can stay comfortably over the patient’s body. More essentially, they also don’t cause UTIs.

So, whether you’re a caregiver seeking a suitable incontinence solution to handle a patient’s leakage or a patient dealing with bladder incontinence, we recommend that you forego catheters and use adult diapers instead. Safe, clean, and effective in managing incontinence, they are an excellent choice for most people worldwide.  

To get expert advice on which adult diaper is right for you, your condition, and your daily habits, feel free to contact our specialists anytime. 

Pros and Cons of Cloth Diapers Vs. Disposable Diapers

Adult Diapers
Adult Diaper

Managing the symptoms of adult incontinence is not easy. While many protection products are available on the market, choosing one can also be a daunting task. However, there is no denying that adult diapers are a godsend in providing incontinence protection. Any caregiver will agree that these specially designed diapers for adults help provide high-quality care. An individual using this form of protection enjoys a boost in self-esteem and ultimately a better quality of life. These diapers also prevent skin infections and promote better hygiene among people suffering from adult incontinence. If you are in the market looking for the best adult incontinence protection, you will have to choose between cloth/washable diapers and disposable adult diapers. It is a decision that troubles most caregivers and you need all the information you can get to choose wisely. In this article, you will read about the pros and cons of these two popular types of diapers to help you make an informed choice.

What are the Cloth Adult Diapers?

Cloth diapers have been around for a long time, and they are still popular today. Cloth diapers are made from cotton, terry cloth, or flannel and are now popular in the adult diapers category. Popular brands that have created a name in baby diapers use the same technology to make specially designed diapers for adults. These diapers feature well-designed shapes fitted to the user, extra loads, and they fit snugly. The major distinguishing quality of these cloth diapers is the fact that you can wash, loads of laundry clean cloth diapers and use them repeatedly. They feel natural on the skin and are thus ideal for use when providing care for immobile individuals.

Pros

In summary, cloth diapers have the following advantages:

i. Cost-savings: When you use cloth diapers, you will spend less in a year compared to when you use disposable incontinence products. Once you buy an adult diaper, you will use it over a long time, and its efficiency levels remain high.
ii. Natural/comfort levels: Cloth materials used for these diapers are natural, safe and skin-friendly. There are no gels, dyes or other chemicals used in them, as you would find in disposable diapers. If you have an immobile person under your care, these diapers work better and reduce the risk of rashes.
iii. Convenient design: Today, adult diapers come in convenient designs with features such as waterproof bands, Velcro or snap closures that make them easy to wear and change. They also come with adjustable features, which make changing the diaper easier.
iv. Eco-friendly: The fact that you reuse the diaper makes a great contribution to the conservation of the environment. There is an increasing concern over the poor disposal of diapers with authorities complaining about the impact that disposable products have on the environment.

Cons

i. Lower absorbency levels: One thing you look for in incontinence products for adults is high absorbency. It is one major drawback for cloth diapers. When compared to disposable diapers the lower absorbency of cloth diapers means you will have to change the diapers more regularly. This means more work for the caregiver.
ii. Inconvenient: Dealing with a soiled diaper is not easy, even for a caregiver. While some cloth diapers come with a disposable liner, cleaning the diaper is still a messy affair. This is one major drawback of using washable diapers.
iii. Cumbersome to change: As a caregiver, you will appreciate how hard it is to change an adult diaper. Now when it comes to a cloth diaper, things get even more cumbersome. Even for diapers that have fasteners, changing them can be a herculean task.
iv. More laundry: If you have an adult under your care, it means you have more laundry to do when you use these washable diapers. This translates to higher electricity and water bills.
v. Risk of rashes: While natural cloth is skin-friendly, the fact that it does not absorb all the moisture leads to skin rashes. Disposable diapers absorb moisture faster thus averting the risk of rashes.

Disposable Adult Diapers

Disposable diapers are all the rage today for many good reasons. Diaper manufacturers make use of cutting-edge technologies to make adult incontinence and disposable diapers that are convenient to use, thus making them popular. For disposables, you only use the product once and throw it away when soiled. The convenience that comes with disposable diapers makes them ideal for individuals who are on the move. If you lead an active lifestyle and experience symptoms of adult incontinence, disposable diapers for adults will work perfectly for you.

The design of these diapers is also different. They are more flexible and come with innovative features such as breathable panels, odorless technology, and anti-leak guards. There are also more sizing options in the market and different products to suit different levels of incontinence.

Pros:-

i. They are made of breathable materials that provide comfort and protection against skin problems.
ii. Higher absorbency levels compared to cloth diapers. This means you need fewer changes and there is less work for the caregiver.
iii. Convenient to change due to the innovative design with strips attached to the back panel that then fastens in front.
iv. Lower risk of skin rashes because of the high absorbent material used.

Cost:-

i. High purchase cost. You have to keep buying these diapers.
ii. Risk of skin problems due to dyes and chemicals used in the materials.
iii. Risk to the environment as they contribute to more landfills; disposable diapers are a now a big problem in most cities because they add to blockages of drains.
iv. Pull-tabs can rip if you pull too hard, which leads to low efficiency and a high risk of leaks.
v. Due to the high cost, they cannot work for immobile adults.

Cloth Diapers or Disposable Diapers

Which one is better? After looking at the pros and cons of cloth and disposable adult diapers, it is obvious that the choice will depend on your specific situation. Cloth diapers save you money but they are messy to handle. Disposable diapers, on the other hand, are costlier but are convenient to use and they are not messy. If you care about the environment (and you should), cloth diapers would seem like the best choice but then again you have to consider the electricity and water bill. In essence, you have to consider your needs and then compare the pros and cons of these incontinence products to determine which one is the best for you.