Constipation and Bowel Control in Dinka

This fact sheet explains what constipation is and suggests some ideas for improvement and tells you where to get more help.

Athör yith kënë acï wël kuil la roor teet yiic ku aluel wël piɛth kɔ̈k alɔŋ të bënë ŋuën thïn ku lëk yïn tënë bïn kuɔny kɔ̈k la yök thïn ëya.

What is constipation?

Constipation is a common disorder where bowel actions ('poo' or faeces) are not easily and/or less frequently passed. Symptoms of constipation include:

• Hard stools
• Excessive straining
• Being unable to pass faecal matter and/or feeling as though your bowels are not completely emptied

Yeŋö ë kuil?

Kuil ë tuëny yäc ku töör dɔm bï ciëth cië lac la bën bei luac-läŋ wulë lɔr ror arak tök ku ban kɔŋ rëër apei.
Të bï tuany ë raan kuilŋïɛc thïn anɔŋ:

• Ciëth rïlkɔ̈u
• Ciöl ciëth acï piëlic apeidït
• Ciëth akuec bë cï la bec acïn ku aye ŋöt ë ŋïc yäcdu akec ciëth dhul bei thïn acïn

What does being 'Regular' mean?

• You can 'hold on' to your bowel action until you get to the toilet
• Once you are sitting on the toilet you can start a bowel action
• You feel that you have emptied your bowel fully
• Going to the toilet anywhere between 3 times a day to 3 times a week.
• Being 'regular' can vary from person to person.

Yeŋö ë wëtde yic ba cɔl ‘kuilaköaköl’ ?

• Yïn alëu ‘ba rëër ka ciëth ’ yänydu yïc agut të cï ciëth yïn jal näk ba jɔl la roor
• Matök bï yïn nyuc pakana nhom yin ajɔl guɔ pël luacläŋ
• Yïn aba ŋïc lɔndï yïn acï yäcdu thölic ë pël acïn
• La roor tëdɛ̈t kam wënic arak 3 aköl tökic tënë läät kadiäkïc
• Ba la ror ‘akölaköl’ acï thööŋ tënë ayï raan ebën,aloi tënë yïn raan ku tënë raan dët

What can cause constipation?

• Insufficient fibre intake in the diet
• Insufficient daily fluid intake
• Insufficient exercise
• Prescription and/or over-the-counter pain relief medications or chronic health conditions
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Bowel disorders and/or damage that require further medical investigation
• Prolapse - a sagging and/or collapsing of internal organs which interferes with bladder and bowel control

Yeŋö ë tuany la ror kuil ciak?

• Cäm mïith cïnic kë lapiɔth-piɔ̈th
• Dëk pïu lik aköl thok ebën
• Acïën tuk piɛth ye looi aluöt
• Tɛ ka wäl cï gät yï akim cïtmɛn wal aɣar-nhom wulɛ̈ raan cïëŋ kë tuany
• Liëc ku dhiënh ë meth
• Tuany cï wääc yï yäc ku tööric ku jal kë cï riäk yïc wïc bë kɔŋ kuany cök apiɛth pan akïm
• Yäc acï jäl bï bën yï juny—tuany aci dït walë de kë cï kööc käk yïc kuic yen alëc cɔl acï lac dut ku pëen päc

What should your 'poo' look like?

Your poo should be light or dark brown, sausage-shaped, soft but firm, easy to pass and with minimal odour. Aim to have a type 3 or type 4 bowel action.

Ciënhdu ë tïŋ kathöŋ kek këno?

Ciënhdu adhïl bï amayen wulɛ̈ col ë cuɔl mathiäŋ, abäärkɔ̈u cïtmɛn thɔthec, aköckɔ̈u ku aril amääth, kua guɔ lac la bec ku aŋuäc amääth. Kewïc ba däŋ nïmïra ciëth 3 wulɛ̈ ciëth 4 la peelic.

Common Bowel Problems

Faecal Impaction - When constipation causes faeces to pack the intestine (digestive tract) so tightly that your normal pushing action in the toilet is not strong enough to push the faeces out.

Faecal Incontinence (sometimes referred to as 'soiling') - This is the accidental loss of liquid or solid faeces. This can be due to the bowel (which stores the faeces) being too full, but this may be only one of the causes. Uncontrolled flatus ('wind') is often considered evidence of faecal incontinence.

Haemorrhoids (sometimes referred to as 'piles') - This can be the result of straining to have a bowel movement. This strain (similar to heavy lifting) can damage the rectum's veins. This can cause bleeding, soreness and itching.

Rectal Prolapse - This occurs when long-term straining causes a small amount of bowel lining to push out from the anus, which is a ring of muscle that opens and closes when we pass a bowel motion. 

Käk wën röt la looi alɔŋ yäc ku tööric

Rëër Ciëth Yïc – Të cï la ror kuil ciëth gël bï cïën tënë lë yen bec,
ka loi ciëth bï nhom kut cïïnïc (yäc mïth guric) so ba thiöŋic abïk la pïlpïl na la kue yï cɔk ciɔl amäth cï mäduön aluöt thïn pakäna yïc,
ka cöl kënë acï dït apëi bë ciëth pïk aɣer.

Tuany ciëth (tëdët cɔl ‘liɛt’) – Kënë ë määr pïu walë ciëth
rïl-köu.Kënë alëu bï ya kë (ke nɛn ciëth täu) cï yäc thiäŋ apei,
yen kënë adhïl ɣen ke cɔl tuany aloi rot. Alïr aye rëër cïïnic ku
cïn tënë loi ye (‘piäric’) ë ŋïc aköl ke la ror kerïl-kou yen kërac.

Kuër yïc (tëdët cɔl ‘Akut’) – Kënë alëu bï ya ciɔ̈l-ciöl ë pïlïc apei të pël yïn. Yen ba ciɔ̈l kënë pïlic (athöŋ kek jöt kathiëk) alëu bä rääl amok mït köth ku rac kek. Ɣen ë kënë alëu bï kuër yïc, arëm ku akuök loi.

Ba amok miɔ̈th bei – Kenë ë rot looi wën na ciöl ciëth acï cieŋ apei keyi, ka loi räät töör amök bïk ala bei amook-thok, Kek arääl awëncï gɔ̈lic röt liëp ku thiök kië thok tënë pël raan. Yen miɔ̈th amok bïc ë cɔl macukguk.

How constipation affects bladder control

Constipation can cause accidential leakage from your bladder. An overfull bowel will cut down the volume of urine your bladder can hold and you will feel the need to go to the toilet often and in a hurry.

Ye kedï ë la ror keril-kou alëc luany bï lac cï muk

Kuil aye kuër lac cɔl ajɔk rot alëcic ku acië ŋïc tënë lui rot.
Thiäŋ ë yäc alëu bï alëc ye lac cɔl acutïc nala ka lëcdu acï lac bën muk ku yïn abï ŋïc guöpduic cït wïc bë la laac ë mɛn ku mɛn ku yïn kat.

Here are five ways to keep your bladder and bowel healthy and prevent constipation:

Eat well to keep your bowels regular and to have a healthy body weight

Eat a healthy diet high in fibre (at least 30g per day).

Drink well to prevent constipation and bladder irritation

Drink 1.5 -2 Litres(6-8 glasses) of fluid each day unless advised otherwise by your doctor. Fluid is water, fruit juice, tea, coffee, milk, soup, jellies and icecream.

Exercise daily to prevent constipation and keep a healthy body weight

Keep your pelvic floor strong for good bladder and bowel control

Request a pelvic floor muscle exercise leaflet by calling the National Continence Helpline 1800 33 00 66.

Toileting habits - Go to the toilet as soon as you need to and empty your bowel fully. Remember to relax.

Kuɛr kadhiëc akënë lëu bïn ka alënydu ku yänydu cɔl arɛ̈ɛ̈r kapiɔl ku gël kuil:

Cäm apiath ba yänydu cɔl arɛ̈r kapiɛth aköl luöt ku da guöp la läkläk kë cï cuaidït

Cäm miëth la möt-möt dëic wäl lapiɔth (lööm kakor 30g aköl tökic).

Dëk pïu juëc ba kuil cɔl akɔ̈c ku arëm alëc
Dëk bïny 1.5 -2 athëm (bïny ka 6-8) ë pïu aköl tökic ulä tëcït tëwën cï akïmdu ye lëk yïn thïn.

Ka laulau ë cɔl pïu, 'fruit' pïu alemun, cääi, kopp, caa, cuai, aläwa dïny ku icecream.

Ye tuk aköl luöt ba cuëi ku la ror kerïl-köu gël wei yï guöp

Cɔl ɣöidu arër karïl ba alëc piath ku tïet töör
Thiëc athör cï gät wël ë kerääl ɣöi duäny në tuk ba yup tënë akutnhom kuɔny (National Continence Helpline 1800 33 00 66).

Ŋïëc la ror – Lɔr pakäna emɛn tënë yïn röt yök kewïc la ku thöl pël ebën abï yäc yïc thök. Ku ŋïc ba guöp luac pïny apiɛth.

Check your toileting postion:

• Your knees should be raised slightly above the level of your hips
• A small footstool might be needed to get you into the best position
• See the diagram below for further help

Cök guöpdu pïny apiɛth:

• Nhiɔku awïc ba ke cök pïny bïk ɣët nhiäl amääth abïk duk thööŋ kek ɣöiku nyïn
• Tïm kor ye cök tau ke köth alëu ba wïc bï yïn cɔl aŋiëc nyuc apiɛth
• Tïŋ thura raan cï nyuc pakana nhom pïny bï kony tënë
ë luɔi thïn

Laxatives

• Laxatives are medicines that will help loosen the bowel mation to prevent blockages and straining.
• Talk to your doctor about using these.
• Generally, laxatives should only be taken for short periods of time.

Wäl yäc (Laxatives)

• Wäl yäc cɔl 'Lakatïb/Laxatives' aye waäl yäc kony bë köc bï ciëth cië tem yïc ku gäk ɣöi yïc.
• Jam tënë akimdu alɔŋ lööm ë wäl.
• Ebën,wäl cɔl laxatives ba dek dhämɛn koric ku aca luöt.

There are three types of laxatives:

• Bulking Agents - These increase the bulk of the stool (faeces). Drinking at least 6-8 glasses of fluid daily is essential.
• Lubricant Laxatives - These soften the faeces and make them easier to pass.
• Stimulant/Irritant Laxatives - These make the bowel more active in moving faeces through the bowel.

Wäl cɔl 'lakatïb/laxatives' ë yïc diäk:

• Wäl wɛi kutïc (Bulking Agents) ‐ Käk amët ciëthic cɔl alɔc arot määt ë yäc yïc (ciëth). Dëk bïny ka 6‐8 ë pïu akökaköl ë yen cɔl apiɛth.
• Wäl ariɛth-riɛth (Lubricant Laxatives) ‐ Wäl käk aciëth loi bë la riɛth-riɛth ku looi kek bïk aguɔ la bïc luac-läŋ.
• Wäl wuɔŋwuɔŋ (Stimulant/Irritant Laxatives)‐ Käk aa yäc ku töör cɔl la wuɔŋwuɔŋ bë ciëth anyai yäcic ku bɛr tööric ku lë töör pïɛ̈k aɣer.

If constipation is severe or continuing, go to your Doctor.

Na la ror kerïl-kou acï akerïl apei wulɛ̈ arëër acï jiël, ke yï lɔr tënë akimdu.

Who can help?

The first step to improving your bowel control is to have a full continence assessment carried out by a health professional.

Ŋa lëu bï ye kony?

Kätueŋ lëu bë cɔl aŋuën bï tuany yäc kɔ̈ɔ̈c ë lɔn ba akutnhom pan akim yï kɔŋ la caar guöp.

For more information

There are a range of health professionals who can help you deal with constipation.

• Visit your GP or specialist
• Telephone a Continence Nurse Advisor on the National Continence Helpline 1800 33 00 66
• To use an interpreter, ring the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 13 14 50

Tëwïc bï lëk wël kök

Ka nɔŋ bëi akïm juëc ŋïc të bïk kuöny yïn ye tueny-dun ë yï la ror kerïl-kou.

• Neem akïm du walë raan ŋïc tuany kënë
• Yup talapuun tënë a Nurse raan kony wël 1800 33 00 66
• Tëwïc raan gamlöŋ bï thok waaric, ke yï yup akutnhom wël waarïc ku gamlöŋ/athook ë talapuunic 13 14 50