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Adult Bedwetting: Causes and Management

Nocturnal enuresis or bedwetting is the involuntary voiding of urine during sleep after the age at which bladder control is normally established. Both men and women can suffer from uncontrollable bedwetting. Often, adults who wet their beds refuse to discuss their discomfort even with their own doctors because they feel embarrassed. This is a rather unfortunate mistake because your doctor can give you advice on ways to improve symptoms as well as possible treatments for bedwetting.
Bedwetting is a complex disorder because many factors are thought to play a significant part. Bedwetting that occurs in adulthood may either be persistent primary enuresis or secondary enuresis.

Primary nocturnal enuresis begins during childhood, where nighttime dryness has not been achieved for longer than six months. If this is not resolved during childhood or teenage years, it is quite likely that bedwetting will persist into adulthood.

The causes of primary nocturnal enuresis may be any of the following:

  • Strong genetic predisposition - The exact mechanism for the inheritance of the disorder is still unknown.
  • Insufficient production of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) at night - Your ADH level normally increases during the night, causing your body to produce a smaller total volume of urine during sleep. If your ADH level is not high enough, urine production is increased.
  • Abnormalities of the urinary bladder - Some nocturnal enuresis sufferers have smaller than normal bladders.
  • Psychological factors - Stress and other psychological issues have long been thought to play a part in bedwetting.
Secondary enuresis occurs when a person has established bladder control for a period of six months, and begins wetting the bed again.

The causes of secondary enuresis may be any of the following:

  • Diabetes
  • Chronic constipation
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Urinary tract stones
  • Prostate enlargement
  • Bladder cancer
  • Neurological disorders
Age or illness can weaken the muscles that control the flow of urine to your urethra. If these muscles weaken, you may leak urine during sleep, or you may be unable to stop the flow of urine when your bladder is full.
Adults who suffered from spinal cord trauma from a fall, auto accident, or other traumatic event may also be at risk for secondary enuresis. Anxiety or other emotional disorders are considered as rare causes of adult bedwetting.

Some medications that can cause a deep sleep can lead to adult bedwetting. Such medicines do not enable a person to wake when the urge to urinate occurs.

Management Options for Adult Bedwetting

Adult bedwetting needs to be evaluated by your doctor. If you have relatives suffering from adult enuresis, you need to encourage them to talk about their problem. Their concerns must be treated sensitively, and they must be gently persuaded to seek medical attention. There are a number of treatment and condition management options for bedwetting. These include medications, programs to change the sleep pattern, and exercises to improve the bladder control.

Many adults suffering from bedwetting find absorbent pads, protective underwear and waterproof mattress pads to be extremely helpful. These products promote comfort and at the same time ease clean up of bedwetting incidents. DryForLife supplies incontinence pads, which may be ordered online and delivered discreetly right to your front door.

 Additional Bedwetting Articles

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Disclaimer - The research, clinical material and advice provided on this website is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical treatment, nor an alternative to medical advice. Any action taken in response to the information given on this website is at the reader's own discretion. Readers should always consult their own Doctor in all health matters. Please read our Terms and conditions. Copyright ©2003-2009 DryForLife®

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3 Responses to “Adult Bedwetting: Causes and Management”

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