Good Bladder Habits For Everyone in Maltese

Good bladder habits can help improve bladder control

You need good bladder habits for a healthy life.

Poor bladder habits can lead to poor bladder control, and even wetting yourself. Here are some easy steps that everyone can take to keep a healthy bladder.

Drawwiet tajba tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina jistgħu jgħinuk ittejjeb il-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina

Int għandek bżonn drawwiet tajba tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina għall-ħajja b’saħħitha.

Drawwiet ħżiena tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina jistgħu jwasslu għall-kontroll dgħajjef tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina, u tista’ wkoll tasal biex tpixxi taħtek. Hawn xi passi ħfief li kulħadd jista’ jieħu biex iżomm il-bużżieqa tal-awrina b’saħħitha.

Hints to keep your bladder healthy

Step 1 – Use good toilet habits

• It is normal to go to the toilet 4 to 8 times a day and no more than twice a night.
• Don’t get into the habit of going to the toilet “just in case.” Try to go to the toilet only when your bladder is full and you need to go. (Going to the toilet before you go to bed is fine).
• Take your time so that your bladder can empty. If you rush, and do not empty your bladder fully, over time, you could get a bladder infection.
• Women should sit to go to the toilet. Do not hover over the toilet seat.

Pariri biex iżżomm il-bużżieqa tal-awrina b’saħħitha

1 Pass - Ipprattika drawwiet tajba fit-tojlit

• Hi ħaġa normali li tmur it-tojlit minn 4 sa 8 darbiet kuljum u mhux aktar minn darbtejn bil-lejl.
• Tidrax tmur it-tojlit ‘għalli jista’ jkun’. Ipprova mur biss it-tojlit meta tħoss il-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegħek mimlija u jkollok bżonn tmur. (Hi ħaġa tajba li tmur it-tojlit qabel ma tmur torqod).
• Toqgħodx tgħaġġel ħalli tagħti ċans lill-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegħek titbattal. Jekk tgħaġġel u ma tbattalx il-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegħek kompletament, fuq firxa ta’ żmien, int tista’ tlaqqat infezzjoni fil-bużżieqa tal-awrina.
• In-nisa għandhom ipoġġu bilqiegħda biex jagћmlu tojlit. Toqgħodx titlajja meta tuża s-sedil tat-tojlit .

Step 2 – Keep good bowel habits

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and stay active to keep your bowels regular.
• Do not strain when using your bowels as this can weaken your pelvic floor muscles (the muscles that help your bladder and bowel control).

2 Pass - Ipprattika drawwiet tajba tal-imsaren

• Kul ħafna frott u ħaxix u żomm ruħek attiv biex tipporga regolarment.
• Titqanżaħx meta tbattal imsarnek għax dan jista’ jherri l-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi tiegħek (il-muskoli li jgħinu fil-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegħek u ta’ imsarnek).

Step 3 – Drink plenty of water

• Drink 1.5 - 2 litres of fluid each day unless your doctor says this is not okay.
• Cut down on how much caffeine and alcohol you drink. These may upset your bladder. Do not drink too much coffee, tea or cola. Instant coffee has less caffeine than brewed coffee. Tea has less caffeine than coffee.

3 Pass - Ixrob ħafna ilma

• Ixrob 1.5 – 2 litri ta’ fluwidu kuljum sakemm it-tabib jgħidlek li dan mhux tajjeb.
• Naqqas ix-xorb tal-kafeina u tal-alkoħol. Dawn jistgħu jirritaw il-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegħek. Tixrobx kafè, te jew kola esaġerat. L-instant coffee fih anqas kaffeina minn kafè pperkolat. It-te fih anqas kafeina mill-kafè.

Step 4 – Look after your pelvic floor muscles

• Keep your pelvic floor muscles strong with pelvic floor muscle training.
• You can get a Pelvic Floor Muscle Training leaflet for Men, or for Women.
• See your doctor, physiotherapist or continence nurse to check that you are training your muscles the right way.

4 Pass - Ħu kura tal-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi

• Żomm il-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi tiegħek b’saħħithom billi tagħmel eżerċizzju tal-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi.
• Int tista’ takkwista fuljett gћall-Irġiel jew gћan-Nisa dwar Eżerċizzju tal-Muskolu tal-Qiegħ tal-Pelvi.
• Ara lit-tabib, fiżjoterapista jew ners tal-kontinenza tiegħek biex tiċċekkja li int qed teżerċita l-muskoli tiegħek kif suppost.

Step 5 – Seek help from your doctor, physiotherapist or continence nurse if you:

• wet yourself, even a few drops, when you cough, sneeze, laugh, stand, lift or do sports or other activity;
• have an urgent need to pass urine, have a strong feeling of not being able to hold on, or often don’t get to the toilet in time;
• pass small amounts of urine, often and regularly. That is more than 8 times per day in small amounts (less than about what a tea cup holds);
• have to get up more than twice in the night to pass urine;
• wet the bed over the age of five years;
• have trouble starting your stream of urine, or have a stream that stops and starts instead of a smooth flow;
• strain to pass urine;
• feel that your bladder is not empty when you have passed urine;
• have burning or pain while passing urine;
• have to give up things you enjoy like walking, aerobics or dancing because of poor bladder or bowel control; or
• have any change in your regular bladder habits that you are worried about.

5 Pass- Fittex l-għajnuna mingħand it-tabib, il-fiżjoterapista jew in-ners tiegħek tal-kontinenza jekk int:

• tpixxi taħtek, anki ftit taqtiriet tal-awrina, meta tisgħol, tagħtas, tidħaq, toqgħod bilwieqfa, terfa’ jew tagħmel xi attività sportiva jew xi attività oħra;
• jiġik bżonn urġenti biex tgħaddi l-awrina, tħoss li ma tistax iżżomm, jew spiss ma tilħaqx tmur it-tojlit fil-ħin;
• sikwit u regolarment tgħaddi ammonti żgħar ta’ awrina. Jiġifieri tagħmel aktar minn 8 darbiet kuljum ammonti żgħar (inqas minn kemm tesa’ kikkra te);
• ikollok tqum aktar minn darbtejn matul il-lejl biex tgħaddi l-awrina;
• ixxarrab is-sodda meta dak li jkun ikollu ‘l fuq minn ħames snin;
• issibha bi tqila biex tgħaddi l-fluss tal-awrina, jew għandek fluss li jieqaf u jibda minflok fluss mingħajr intoppi;
• titqanżaħ biex tgħaddi l-awrina;
• tħoss li l-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegħek mhix vojta meta tgħaddi l-awrina;
• tħoss ħruq jew uġigħ meta tgħaddi l-awrina;
• ma tkunx tista’ tkompli tagħmel dawk l-affarijiet li tieħu gost tagħmel bħal mixi, eżerċizzji erobiċi jew żfin minħabba kontrol dgћajjef tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina jew tal-imsaren; jew
• ikollok xi bidla fid-drawwiet regolari tiegħek tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina li int inkwetat dwarhom.

Seek help

Qualified nurses are available if you call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66* (Monday to Friday, between 8.00am to 8.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time) for free:

• Information;
• Advice; and
• Leaflets.

If you have difficulty speaking or understanding English you can access the Helpline through the free Telephone Interpreter Service on 13 14 50. The phone will be answered in English, so please name the language you speak and wait on the phone. You will be connected to an interpreter who speaks your language. Tell the interpreter you wish to call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66. Wait on the phone to be connected and the interpreter will assist you to speak with a continence nurse advisor. All calls are confidential.

* Calls from mobile telephones are charged at applicable rates.

Itlob l-għajnuna

Hemm nersis ikkwalifikati jekk iċċempel lin-National Continence Helpline fuq 1800 33 00 66* (mit-Tnejn sal-Ġimgħa, bejn it-8.00am to 8.00pm AEST (Ħin Standard tal-Lvant tal-Awstralja)) mingħajr ħlas:

• Informazzjoni;
• Pariri; u
• Fuljetti.

Jekk ikollok diffikulta’ biex titkellem jew biex tifhem bl-Ingliż jista’ jkollok aċċess għall-Helpline permezz tat-Telephone Interpreter Service fuq 13 14 50 b’xejn. It-telefon ikun imwieġeb bl-Ingliż, għalhekk għid liema lingwa titkellem u stenna fuq it-telefon. Tkun ikkonnettjat/a ma’ interpretu li jitkellem il-lingwa tiegħek. Għid lill-interpretu li tixtieq li ċċempel lin-National Continence Helpline fuq 1800 33 00 66. Stenna fuq it-telefon biex tkun ikkonnettjat/a u l-interpretu jgħinek biex titkellem ma’ ners li tagħti pariri dwar il-kontinenza. It-telefonati kollha huma konfidenzjali.

* Telefonati minn fuq telefonijiet mowbajl ikunu ċċarġjati r-rati li japplikaw.