A stoma is a surgically created opening on the abdomen where the bowel or urinary tract is brought to the skin surface, so that waste — stool or urine — empties into a pouch worn over it. If you are facing or newly living with a stoma, it is natural to feel daunted, but the reassuring reality is that a full and active life is very much possible: people with a stoma work, travel, exercise, swim and have relationships. This guide introduces what a stoma is, the main types, why people need one, whether it may be reversed, and where to find support in Singapore.
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In a medical emergency, or for severe or sudden symptoms such as breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting or stroke signs, call 995 immediately.
This is general information and does not replace the advice of your surgical team and stoma nurse (stomal therapist). Seek urgent help — call 995 — if your stoma turns dark, dusky or black (a possible loss of blood supply), or if you have no output of stool or wind together with cramping tummy pain, a swollen abdomen and vomiting (a possible blockage). Also seek care for heavy bleeding or signs of severe dehydration.
What a stoma is, and what it looks like
A stoma is an opening created during surgery to divert stool or urine to the surface of the abdomen, where it collects in a pouch. It looks pink and moist — much like the inside of your mouth — and is usually a little swollen at first, settling over roughly the first six to eight weeks. Importantly, a stoma has no nerve endings, so it is not painful to touch, even though the surgical area around it will be sore while it heals. A person with a stoma is sometimes called an ostomate.
The main types
There are three main types, each covered in its own guide. A colostomy is formed from the colon (large bowel), often sits on the lower-left abdomen, and tends to have more formed output. An ileostomy is formed from the small bowel, often sits on the lower-right, and has looser, more frequent output that means paying closer attention to hydration. A urostomy diverts urine, usually using a short segment of bowel, and drains continuously into a pouch with a tap. Your team will explain which type you have and what is normal for you.
Why people need a stoma
A stoma may be needed for several reasons: bowel or bladder cancer; inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis; diverticulitis; a bowel obstruction; injury or trauma; or problems with continence. Sometimes it is planned in advance, and sometimes it is created during emergency surgery. The exact reason is individual to you, and understanding why your stoma was made helps you make sense of what to expect from it day to day.
Temporary or permanent
Some stomas are temporary — created to rest the bowel or protect a healing join, and reversed later once things have healed — while others are permanent, depending on the underlying condition. Whether and when a reversal is possible is a decision made with your surgical team, and our stoma reversal guide explains that path. If you are unsure which applies to you, it is a good question to ask your surgeon directly.
The stoma nurse — your key support
The stoma nurse, also called a stomal therapist, is a specialist nurse who is central to your care. They usually mark the best position for your stoma before surgery, teach you how to empty and change the pouch, help solve skin or leakage problems, and support you emotionally as you adjust. In Singapore, this care is provided by stoma care nurses at hospital stoma clinics, and keeping your stoma nurse’s contact details handy means you always have someone to call with a question or concern.
A full and active life is possible
It is worth hearing clearly: having a stoma need not stop you doing the things that matter to you. After you recover and settle into the right pouching system, people return to work, exercise and sport, swim, travel, and enjoy relationships and intimacy — our guides on work, travel and exercise and emotional wellbeing cover this. Adjustment takes time and confidence grows as care becomes routine, but a stoma is something people live well with, not something that defines their life.
Getting support in Singapore, and when to seek urgent help
Your first point of contact for anything stoma-related is your hospital stoma care nurse. For general health information, HealthHub is the national portal, and because many people with a stoma in Singapore have had colorectal cancer surgery, the Singapore Cancer Society offers psychosocial support and its helpline on 1800-727-3333. If you are struggling emotionally, the Samaritans of Singapore (1767) and mindline.sg (1771) are there. For supplies and any financial-assistance schemes, ask your stoma nurse and the hospital medical social worker, and confirm current details with them. Seek urgent care for the red flags above — a dark stoma, a suspected blockage, heavy bleeding or dehydration — and call 995 in an emergency. The reassuring bottom line is that a stoma is a manageable, well-supported change: with your stoma nurse’s help and a little time, most people find their footing and get on with living fully.
Related stoma topics
- Caring for your stoma
- Colostomy: what to expect
- Ileostomy: what to expect
- Urostomy: what to expect
- Stoma diet & nutrition
- Managing stoma problems
- Stoma reversal
- Emotional wellbeing with a stoma
- Work, travel & exercise with a stoma
- Colorectal surgeons in Singapore
- Gastroenterologists in Singapore
Sources
- Colostomy UK — What is a stoma: colostomyuk.org
- United Ostomy Associations of America — What is an ostomy: ostomy.org
- NHS — Colostomy: nhs.uk