By: Urology Care Foundation | Posted on: 07 Nov 2016
November is Bladder Health Month and each week the Foundation will highlight conditions that affect the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract. This week is dedicated to raising awareness of Nocturia and Bed-Wetting.
Unplanned urine leaks are called incontinence. When this happens at night, while you're asleep, it's known as bed-wetting. Bed-wetting is also called "nighttime incontinence" or "enuresis." Nocturia happens at night when you wake up and then go urinate.
Nocturia
The National Association for Continence (NAFC) says that 1 in 3 adults over the age of 30 will make at least two trips to the bathroom every night. Nocturia is most common in people over the age of 60, but it can happen to anyone.
NAFC recommends talking to your doctor if you have symptoms of nocturia. Making trips to the bathroom will increase as you age. Nocturia can be caused by a host of different factors. It can also be a sign that there's a larger problem with your health.
Child Bed-Wetting
Child bed-wetting is a common problem for more than 5 million children in the U.S. It's slightly more common in boys than in girls. This issue can annoy children, parents and health care providers. In the past it was common to downplay bed-wetting and hope it would get better with time. Today, with children spending more nights away from home (at camps, sleepovers and field trips), this has become an issue at an earlier age. But with patience, most children can be treated.
Treatment options for bed-wetting include:
- Changing fluid intake
- Changing toilet habits
- Wetting alarm devices
- Drugs
Adult Bed-Wetting
The NAFC says that bed-wetting in adults is actually different than what children go through. NAFC lists many factors that can cause an adult to experience this condition and there are treatment options available.
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