Nocturia - Going To The Toilet At Night in Maltese

What is nocturia?

Nocturia is when a person has to wake up at night to pass urine. If this happens more than twice a night, it can be a problem.

Nocturia is common in older people. It can cause problems in day-to-day life. It can upset your sleep and put you at risk of falls, if you get up in the dark to pass urine. Also, when you have to wake up, you may not be able to get back to sleep and then you might not function as well through the day. You may sleep in the day and then not be able to sleep well at night. Changes like this to your sleep patterns may even make the problem worse: you may be more aware of your filling bladder and so feel like you need to pass urine more often.

Having to wake up once or more each night to pass urine increases as you age. It has been found that one in two women, and two out of three men, aged 50 to 59 years have a problem with Nocturia. It is even more common as you get older—seven out of ten women, and nine out of ten men, over the age of 80 years have Nocturia.

X’inhi n-nokturja?

In-Nokturja sseħħ meta persuna jkollha tqum bil-lejl biex tpixxi. Jekk dan jiġri aktar minn darbtejn f’lejl wieħed, din tista’ tkun problema.

In-Nokturja hi komuni fl-anzjani. Tista’ tikkawża problemi fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum. Tista’ tinterrompi r-raqda tiegħek u hemm il-periklu li tista’ taqa’, jekk tqum bil-lejl biex tpixxi. Barra minn dan, meta jkollok tqum, għandek mnejn ma tkunx tista’ terġa’ torqod u mbagħad ma tkunx tista’ tkampa daqstant tajjeb matul il-jum. Int għandek mnejn torqod matul il-jum u mbagħad ma tkunx tista’ torqod sewwa bil-lejl. Tibdil bħal dan fl-arranġamenti tiegħek tal-irqad jista’ wkoll jagħmel agħar is-sitwazzjoni: int tista’ tkun aktar konxju mill-fatt li l-bużżieqa tal-awrina tiegħek tkun qed timtela u hekk tħoss li għandek bżonn tpixxi aktar ta’ spiss.

Il-bżonn li trid tqum aktar minn darba matul il-lejl biex tpixxi jikber hekk kif tikber fl-età. Instab li waħda minn żewġ nisa, u tnejn minn kull tlett irġiel, li għandhom bejn 50 u 59 sena jbatu bil-problema tan-Nokturja. Hi fil-fatt aktar komuni aktar ma tikber fl-età-sebgħa minn kull għaxar nisa, u disgħa minn kull gћaxart irġiel, li għandhom aktar minn 80 sena jbatu minn Nokturja.

What are the common causes of nocturia?

• common heart and kidney problems;
• swollen ankles;
• taking fluid tablets in the night-time;
• drinking large amounts of fluids, alcohol and caffeine drinks (tea, coffee and cola) before going to bed at night;
• poorly controlled diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2);
• Diabetes Insipidus (a rare hormone problem that causes severe thirst and urine loss);
• changes in position (going from upright in the day to lying flat at night means more blood can flow over the kidneys, so more night-time urine is made);
• upset or over-sensitive bladder (such as a bladder infection);
• overactive bladder (such as after a stroke);
• pregnancy;
• broken sleep, such as going to the toilet just because you are awake; and/or
• constipation or an enlarged prostate can press on the bladder neck and not let the bladder empty right out. This can cause urine to dribble or overflow.

Note: Some people think if they cut down how much water they drink through the day they may cut down on night-time problems. This is not right. Not having enough to drink can cause lack of fluids and constipation. It can also make the urine more concentrated. This can upset the bladder and make you need to go to the toilet more often. Not drinking enough water can also shrink the bladder muscle so the bladder does not hold as much urine, which can make the need to pass urine through the night even worse.

X’inhuma l-kawżi komuni ta’ nokturja?

• problemi komuni tal-qalb u tal-kliewi;
• għekiesi minfuħin;
• teħid ta’ pilloli tal-fluwidi bil-lejl;
• tixrob ammont kbir ta’ fluwidi, alkoħol u xorb li fih il-kafeina (te, kafè u kola) qabel ma tmur torqod bil-lejl;
• Diabete li mhix ikkontrollata sewwa (Tip 1 jew Tip 2);
• diabete Insipidus (problema rari tal-ormoni li tikkawża ħafna għatx u telf ta’ awrina);
• tibdil fil-pożizzjoni (tkun bilwieqfa matul il-jum u tispiċċa mimdud matul il-lejl ifisser li aktar demm ikun jista’ jgħaddi minn fuq il-kliewi, għalhekk issir aktar awrina bil-lejl);
• bużżieqa tal-awrina irritata jew sensittiva b’mod eċċessiv (bħal ngħidu aħna infezzjoni fil-bużżieqa tal-awrina);
• bużżieqa tal-awrina li taħdem ħafna aktar milli suppost (bħal ngħidu aћna wara puplesija);
• tqala;
• irqad interrott, bħal ngħidu aħna tmur it-tojlit sempliċiment għax tkun imqajjem; u/jew
• kostipazzjoni jew prostata akbar minn normal tista’ tagħfas fuq l-għonq tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina u ma tħallihiex tiżvojta għal kollox. Dawn jista’ jwassal biex l-awrina tqattar jew tfur.

Nota:Xi persuni jaħsbu li jekk inaqqsu l-ammont ta’ ilma li jixorbu matul il-jum huma għandhom mnejn inaqqsu l-problemi tagħhom matul il-lejl. Mhux veru. Jekk ma tixrobx biżżejjed dan jista’ jikkawża nuqqas ta’ fluwidi u kostipazzjoni. Tista’ wkoll tagħmel l-awrina aktar konċentrata. Dan jista’ jikkaġuna rritazzjoni tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina u dan jagħmlek tmur it-tojlit aktar ta’ spiss. Jekk ma tixrobx biżżejjed ilma, dan jista’ jċekken il-muskolu tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina u hekk il-bużżieqa tal-awrina ma żżommx daqstant awrina, li jista’ jagħmel agħar il-bżonnn li tmur tpixxi matul il-lejl.

How do you know if you have nocturia?

You should talk to your doctor if you think you have Nocturia. It may not be a simple health problem.

To find out more about your Nocturia, your doctor may ask you about:

• your past health;
• bladder problems;
• the drugs you take (such as, what time you take your fluid tablets); and
• broken sleep.

Kif tkun taf jekk għandekx in-nokturja?

Int għandek tkellem lit-tabib tiegħek jekk taħseb li għandek Nokturja. Tista’ ma tkunx sempliċi problema tas-saħħa.

Biex jikseb aktar tagħrif dwar in-Nokturja tiegħek, it-tabib tiegħek jista’ jistaqsik dwar:

• saħħtek fil-passat;
• problemi tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina;
• mediċini li tieħu (bħal ngħidu aħna, meta tieħu mediċini tal-fluwidi tiegħek); u
• irqad interrott.

Your doctor might also:

• check if you have any of the causes of Nocturia, such as those noted above;
• test your urine for a bladder infection;
• ask you to keep a chart to check:

1. what, when and how much you drink;
2. when and how much urine you pass;
3. when you go to bed and get up; and
4. arrange for tests such as bladder, kidneys, urine, and blood tests.

It-tabib tiegħek jista’ wkoll:

• jiċċekkja jekk għandekx xi waħda mill-kawżi ta’ Nokturja, bħal dawk li ġew innutati hawn fuq;
• jittestja l-awrina tiegħek għall-infezzjoni tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina;
• jitolbok iżżomm ċart biex jiċċekkja:

1. xhiex, meta u kemm tixrob;
2. meta u kemm tpixxi;
3. meta tmur torqod u meta tqum; u
4. jorganizza testijiet bħal ngħidu aħna testijiet tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina, tal-kliewi, tal-awrina u tad-demm.

How can nocturia be treated?

It is important that any causes of Nocturia get treated or that you are referred to the right specialist.

Some suggested treatments could be:

• cutting back on how much caffeine and alcohol you drink, mainly before going to bed at night;
• checking the times you take fluid tablets;
• wearing support stockings for swollen ankles;
• resting with your legs up, in the afternoon, for a few hours;
• lighting your path to the toilet (such as a night light); and/or
• placing a commode or bright coloured bucket for use at the bedside.

Your doctor may also refer you to a specialist who will discuss other treatments with you. These may be drugs that treat the Nocturia or treat the cause of the problem.

Some of the health professionals you may be referred to can include a continence physiotherapist, continence nurse advisor, urologist or renal physician.

Kif tista’ tiġi kkurata n-nokturja?

Hu importanti li kwalunkwe kawża ta’ Nokturja tiġi kkurata jew int tiġi rreferut għand speċjalista adattat.

Xi trattamenti li jistgħu jkunu ssuġġeriti jistgħu jkunu li:

• tixrob inqas kafeina u alkoħol, prinċipalment qabel ma tmur torqod bil-lejl;
• tiċċekkja l-ħinijiet meta tieħu l-pilloli tal-fluwidi;
• tilbes peduni tas-sapport għal għekiesi minfuħa;
• tistrieħ b’saqajk ‘il fuq, wara nofsinhar, għal ftit sigħat;
• tagħmel dawl fil-passaġġ li jagħti għat-tojlit (bħal ngħidu aħna dawl bil-lejl); u/jew
• tpoġġi awrinar magħluq jew barmil b’kulur jgħajjat biex tkun tista’ tużah ħdejn is-sodda.

It-tabib tiegħek jista’ jirreferik għand speċjalista li ser jiddiskuti miegħek tipi oħra ta’ kura. Dan jistgħu jkunu mediċini li jikkuraw in-Nokturja jew jikkuraw il-kawża tal-problema.

Xi professjonisti tas-saħħa li int tintbagħat għandhom jistgħu jinkudu fiżjoterapista tal-kontinenza, ners konsulenta tal-kontinenza, uroloġista jew tabib tal-kliewi.

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