Bladder Control Check Up in Maltese

This brochure is to help you get ready for a bladder control check up.

A bladder control check up includes some questions and a physical check by a doctor or trained health professional. The check up will help find any bladder control problems you have and their causes. The check up may also help to plan the best way to manage these problems. A bladder check up is painless.

L-għan ta’ dan il-fuljett hu biex jgħin persuni jlestu għall‑eżami mediku tal-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina.

Eżami mediku tal-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina jinkludi xi mistoqsijiet u eżami fiżiku mit-tabib jew minn ħaddiem ittrenjat tas-saħħa. L-eżami mediku ser jgħin biex jinstabu kwalunkwe problemi tal‑kontroll tal‑bużżieqa tal-awrina li int għandek u l-kawżi tagħhom. Jista’ wkoll jgħin fl-ippjanar tal-aħjar metodu kif timmaniġġja dawn il-problemi. L-iċċekjar tal‑bużżieqa tal-awrina huwa mingћajr uġigћ

What are your choices?

Every person has a right to a private and personal check up. Your needs and wishes should be respected. People also have a right to say ‘no’ to the check up or to any other care.

Choices you have may include:

• you may prefer a man or a woman to do your check up. Ask for this when you make your appointment.
• an interpreter may be available for you. The interpreter could be a man or a woman if you prefer. Check with your health service.
• you can take a family member or friend with you. This might help you feel better about the check up.

X’inhuma l-għażliet tiegħek?

Kull persuna gћandha d-dritt gћal ċekkjar privat u personali. Il-ћtiġijiet u x-xewqat tiegћek gћandhom ikunu rrispettati. In-nies gћandhom ukoll id-dritt li jgћidu ‘le’ gћall-iċċekjar jew gћal kull kura oћra.

L-gћażliet li gћandek jinkludu:

• tista’ tkun tippreferi raġel jew mara biex jagћmlulek l-iċċekkjar. Itlob dan meta tagћmel l-appuntament.
• Jista’ jkun hemm interpretu disponibbli gћalik. L-interpretu jista’ jkun raġel jew mara jekk tippreferixxi. Iċċekkja mas-servizz tas‑saћћa tiegћek.
• Tista’ tieћu miegћek membru tal-familja jew ћabib/a. Dan jista’ jgћinek biex tћossok aћjar dwar l-iċċekkjar.

What do you need to do before the check up?

You may be asked to keep a bladder diary. You need to keep the diary for at least 3 days. It keeps track of how your bladder works through the day.

The bladder diary may look like this:

The bladder diary keeps track of:

• the time you go to the toilet.
• how much urine you pass each time.
• how strong you felt the urge to empty each time.

X’għandi nagħmel qabel l-eżami mediku?

Tisata’ tkun mitlub/a biex iżżomm djarju tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina. Jinћtieġlek iżżom id-djarju talanqas gћal tlitt ijiem qabel l-iċċekkjar. Dan iżomm il-kors ta’ kif taћdem il-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegћek matul il-jum.

Id-djarju tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina jista’ jkun jidher xi ћaġa bћal dan:

Id-djarju tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina jżomm il-kors ta:

• l-ћin li tmur it-tojlit.
• kemm tgћaddi awrina kull darba.
• kemm kienet qawwija l-urġenza li ћassejt kull darba biex tbattal.

How do I measure the amount of urine passed?

Put a container (like an ice cream container) in the toilet. Now sit on the toilet and relax with your feet on the floor. Pass urine into the container. Then tip the urine into a jug to measure it. Men may want to stand and pass urine directly into a measuring jug.

How do I measure urgency?

This chart shows how to use a number to describe the urge you felt.

Kif inkejjel l-awrina li nkun gћaddejt?

Poġġi kontenitur (bћal kontenitur tal-ġelat) fit-tojlit. Issa oqgћod bilqegћda u rrilassja b’saqajk fuq l-art. Agћmel l-awrina fil-kontenitur. Imbagћad itfa’ l-awrina f’buqar biex tkejjilha. L-irġiel jistgћu jkunu jridu joqogћdu bil‑wieqfa u jgћaddu l-awrina direttament fil-buqar tal‑kejl.

Kif inqis l-urġenza?

Din iċ-ċart turi kif tuża numru biex tiddeskrivi l-urġenza li tkun ћassejt.

How do I measure leaking using a Pad Weight Test?

This test helps to work out how much urine you leak over a few days. To do this test you will need some accurate scales for weighing. You do this test by:

1. weighing a dry pad in a plastic bag before you wear the pad,
2. 1then weighing the wet pad in a plastic bag after you wear it, and
3. taking the weight of the dry pad away from the weight of the wet pad.

This will show how much you have leaked because each gram equals one ml.

Like this:

Kif nikkalkula t-taqtir billi nuża it-Test tal-Piż tal‑Pads (Pad Weight Test)?

Dan it-test jgћin biex tikkalkula kemm tqattar awrina matul xi ftit ġranet. Biex tagћmel dan it-test tkun tinћtieġ xi miżien preċiż biex tiżen. Inti tagћmel dan it-test billi:

1. tiżen pad nixfa f’borża tal-plastik qabel ma tilbes il-pad,
2. imbagћad tiżen il-pad imxarrba f’borża tal-plastik wara li tkun ilbistha, u
3. tnaqqas il-piż tal-pad nixfa mill-piż tal-pad imxarrba.

Dan juri kemm tkun qattart gћax kull gramma hija ugwali gћal ml wieћed.

Bћal hekk:

What will happen during the check up?

During the check up, you will be asked about your diet and your weight. You will also be asked about your past health and your health now. You may be asked:

• How is your flow of urine?
• How many times at night are you woken by the need to empty your bladder?
• Are you taking any medicines or vitamins? Medicines can make big changes to the way the bladder and bowel work. Make a list of ALL the medicines you take, not just those the doctor has prescribed. Note the dose you take and how often you take them. It is a good idea to take all of your medicines with you when you go for the check up.
• How much alcohol or caffeine do you drink? Drinking a lot of alcohol or caffeine-based drinks like coffee, cola or sports drinks may upset the bladder.
• Are you constipated? Constipation can mean straining to open your bowels. This puts a big load onto your pelvic floor muscles. Straining can damage the pelvic floor muscles. Constipation can also upset the bladder.
• Do you have any bowel accidents? Do you leak from your anus (back passage)? Weak pelvic floor muscles could mean you pass wind or bowel motions when you don’t mean to.
• Does your bladder problem affect your sex life in any way?

Questions for women only:

• Do you have any children? Pregnancy and having babies can change bladder control.
• Are you going through menopause? Hormone changes can make bladder problems worse.

X’ser jiġri matul l-eżami mediku?

Matul l-eżami mediku, int ser tiġi mistoqsi mistoqsijiet dwar id-dieta tiegħek, il-piż tiegħek, il-passat mediku tiegħek u saħħtek issa. Int tista’ tiġi mistoqsi:

• Kif inhu l-fluss tal-awrina tiegћek?
• Kemm-il darba titqajjem bil-lejl bil-ћtieġa biex tmur tbattal il-bużżieqa tal-awrina?
• Qed tieħu xi mediċini jew vitamini? Il-mediċini jistgħu jikkawżaw tibdil kbir fil-mod kif jaћdmu l-bużżieqa tal-awrina u l-imsaren. Agħmel lista tal‑mediċini kollha li qed tieħu, mhux biss dawk lit-tabib tiegħek tak bir-riċetta. Innota d-doża li tieћu u kemm spiss teћodhom. Hija idea tajba li tieћu miegћek il-mediċini kollha tiegћekmeta tmur gћaċ‑check up.
• Kemm tixrob alkoħol jew kafeina? Ix-xorb ta’ ħafna alkoħol jew xorb ibbażat fuq il-kafeina bħal kafè u xorb tal-kola jista’ jirrita l-bużżieqa tal-awrina.
• Inti Kostipat? Il-kostipazjoni tista’ tfisser li titqanżaћ biex tiftaћ l-imsaren. Dan ipoġġi toqol kbir fuq il‑muskolu tal-qiegћ tal-pelvi. It-tqanżiћ jista’ jagћmel ћsara lill-muskoli tal-qiegћ tal-pelvi. Il-konstipazzjoni tista’ tfixkel ukoll il-bużżieqa tal-awrina.
• Ikollok aċċidenti tal-imsaren? Tnixxi mill-anus (il‑passaġġ fil-warrani)? Muskoli tal-qiegћ tal-pelvi li jkunu dgћajfa jistgћu jfissru li titfa r-riћ jew tipporga meta ma tkunx trid tagћmel hekk.
• Il-problema tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegћek taffetwa l-ћajja sesswali tiegћek?

Mistoqsijiet gћan-nisa biss:

• Gћandek tfal? It-tqala u li jkollok it-trabi jistgћu ibiddlu il-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina.
• Inti gћaddejja mill-menopawsa? It-tibdil fl-ormoni jista’ jagћmel agћar il-problemi tal-bużżieqa tal awrina.

Some of the tests that could be used for your bladder control check up include:

• a physical check (if you say this is okay).
• a urine sample may be taken for testing.
• a blood test may be taken for diabetes or prostate problems.
• an x-ray or ultrasound.
• a urodynamic test is a specialist check to show how your bladder works.

Xi ftit mit-testijiet li jistgћu jintużaw gћall-iċċekkjar tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegћek jinkludu:

• ċekkjar fiżiku (jekk tgћid li kollox sew)
• Jista’ jittieħed ukoll kampjun tal-awrina għall‑ittestjar.
• Jista’ jittieħed test tad-demm għall-problemi tad‑dijabete jew tal-prostata.
• x-ray jew ultrasound
• Test tal-urodinamiċi hu eżami speċjali biex naraw kif taħdem il-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegħek.

Remember

No matter what type of test you are asked to have done, you can ask:

• Who will do it?
• How will it be done?
• How will it help?

Ftakar

Hu x’inhu t-tip ta’ test li int tiġi mitlub tagħmel, int tista’ tistaqsi:

• Min ser jagħmlu?
• Kif ser isir?
• Kif ser jgħin?

Seek help

You are not alone. Poor bladder and bowel control can be cured or better managed with the right treatment. If you do nothing, it might get worse.

Phone expert advisors on the National Continence Helpline for free:

• advice;
• resources; and
• information about local services

1800 33 00 66 *

(8am - 8pm Monday to Friday AEST)

To arrange for an interpreter through the Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS), phone 13 14 50 Monday to Friday and ask for the National Continence Helpline. Information in other languages is also available from continence.org.au/other-languages

For more information:

• continence.org.au
• pelvicfloorfirst.org.au
• bladderbowel.gov.au

* Calls from mobiles are charged at applicable rates.

Itlob l-għajnuna

M’intix waћdek. Kontroll dgћajjef tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina u tal-imsaren jista’ jkun ikkurat jew immaniġġjat aћjar bil-kura xierqa. Jekk ma tagћmel xejn tista’ tmur gћall-agћar.

Ċempel lill-konsulenti esperti fuq in-National Continence Helpline bla ћlas:

• parir;
• riżorsi; u
• informazzjoni dwar servizzi lokali.

1800 33 00 66 *

(8am - 8pm mit-Tnejn sal-Ġimgћa AEST)

Biex tirranġa gћal interpretu permezz tas-Servizz Telefoniku tal-Interpretu (TIS) ċempel 13 14 50 mit‑Tnejn sal-Ġimgћa u saqsi gћan-National Continence Helpline. Informazzjoni f’lingwi oћra hija disponibbli wkoll f’ continence.org.au/other-languages

Gћal aktar informazzjoni:

• continence.org.au
• pelvicfloorfirst.org.au
• bladderbowel.gov.au

* Telefonati minn mobajls ikunu ċċarġjati bir-rati applikabbli.