To alleviate any discomfort caused by the treatment, people are given numbing medication, often known as anesthesia. A tiny incision in the abdomen is made by the surgeon, generally a few inches below the belly button. A suprapubic catheter makes no touch with the urethra or the genital region. It is simply inserted under the skin into the bladder where it can be accessed for removal of urine or injection of medications. A suprapubic catheter is a thin, flexible tube that is inserted into the bladder through an opening called a puncture site in the abdominal wall. The catheter is used to drain the bladder or give it a place to store fluids or chemicals while you sleep. It may appear empty on x-ray but it is still there when you wake up. There is very little pain associated with this procedure after it has been done properly. Any pain that you do feel is usually due to infection at the insertion site. This can be prevented by keeping the area clean and applying ice packs to it immediately following the procedure. People who have had their prostate removed may also get a suprapubic catheter so that they do not have to go to the bathroom during the night. The catheter is placed directly into the space where the prostate was located. Some people complain about the feeling of the catheter inside them. This usually goes away over time as the body gets used to it.