How do I care for a feeding tube?

While you’re in the hospital, your ALS care team and hospital staff will show you how to take care of your feeding tube and give you instructions to follow when you go home.

Before and after each time you use the feeding tube, you’ll need to flush the tube out with water. This is called “clearing” the tube. You may need to ask someone for help to clear the tube.

Most doctors recommend getting a new feeding tube every 6 to 9 months. Don’t worry — after the first time the doctor places the feeding tube in your stomach, it’s much quicker and easier to replace it with a new one. You won’t need to spend the night in the hospital every time you get a new feeding tube.