Taking care of your gastrointestinal health has become imperative as it can severely impact your daily functioning, especially, when you are recovering from an illness or a surgical procedure and cannot consume meals orally. You still need to fulfil your body’s nutritional needs without causing any harm to your GI tract. This is where a feeding tube comes into play.
A feeding tube is a flexible pipe made out of plastic that is placed within your stomach or bowel to help you receive nutrition. Usually, a feeding tube runs from your nose or mouth and empties directly into your stomach or intestines. You do not need to undergo a special surgical procedure to insert a feeding tube.
While normally the use of a feeding tube is temporary, if you are suffering from a chronic illness like Parkinson’s or cancer, you might require it for a longer time. Using a feeding tube should not affect other activities but it might require adjustments when it comes to your sleeping position.
To ensure you only buy a GI feeding tube of the highest quality, you can rely on Netmeds. With Netmeds, you can buy a feeding tube online without any hassle.
Yes, usually you will need a prescription for tube feeding, as a medical professional will have to examine the patient to determine whether the patient requires the same.
Medically, nutrition can be administered via three methods: enteral which delivers nutrition to the gastrointestinal tract, oral wherein supplements are administered through the mouth, and tube feeding wherein enteral nutrition is delivered to the gastrointestinal tract via a tube.
Inserting and using a feeding tube can be uncomfortable and painful. Once, the tube is inserted, the pain lessens, and the individual can continue with other activities. Also, the patient may experience some discomfort while swallowing, thus the doctor prescribes very soft food that is easy to swallow.