A stoma itself shouldn’t smell, providing proper hygiene is practised. It’s understandable that someone with a stoma may be concerned that other people will be able to smell it but that’s not usually the case if the bag is emptied and changed when necessary. Most bags also have a deodoriser incorporated in them. However, if the stoma begins to show changes in appearance or odour the stoma nurse, or another healthcare professional, should be consulted for advice.
Stomach gas is produced by someone with a stoma, just the same as everybody else, but it’s important that it can escape the stoma bag effectively or a condition known as ‘ballooning’ can occur. This is when gas expelled from the stoma causes the bag to inflate, and if it isn’t released the bag can burst. Stoma bags usually have an escape filter on them that lets the gas escape, and its important that this filter is regularly checked for blockages or uncovered when a new bag is applied.