Make Going To The Bathroom Easier
If the issue is that you seem to be missing the timing of your bodys signal, or simply arent making it to the bathroom in time, take steps to make it as easy as possible to get to the bathroom at night.
- A nightlight can help you easily find the bathroom, even while groggy.
- Make sure there arent any obstacles you might trip over on your way.
- Wear easy-to-remove clothing, so you can easily undress to relieve yourself
- If getting up or walking to the bathroom is an issue, a bedside urinal or commode may be the answer.
Urinary Incontinence In Children
, MD, Nemours/A.I. duPont Nemours Hospital for Children
Urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary release of urine occurring two or more times per month after toilet training. Incontinence may be present
The duration of the process of toilet training Toilet Training Most children can be taught to use the toilet when they are between 2 years and 3 years old. Using the toilet to defecate is usually accomplished first. Most children can be trained to control… read more , or the age at which children achieve urinary continence, varies greatly. However, more than 90% of children achieve daytime urinary continence by age 5. Nighttime continence may take longer to achieve.
Bed-wetting or nighttime incontinence affects about 30% of children at age 4, 10% at age 7, 3% at age 12, and 1% at age 18. About 0.5% of adults continue to have nighttime incontinence. Doctors take these time lines into account when diagnosing urinary incontinence. Because the duration of the process of toilet training varies, young children are usually not considered to have daytime incontinence if they are under age 5 or 6 or nighttime incontinence if they are under age 7.
Daytime incontinence is more common among girls. Bed-wetting is more common among boys and among children who have a family history of nighttime incontinence. Both daytime and nighttime incontinence are symptomsnot diagnosesand doctors should look for an underlying cause.
How Do You Treat Bed
Your doctor may suggest you start by making a few changes to your daily and nightly routines:
Try bladder retraining. Go to the bathroom at set times during the day and night. Slowly increase the amount of time between bathroom visits — for example, by 15 minutes at a time. This will train your bladder to hold more fluid.
Don’t drink right before bed. That way, you won’t make as much urine. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can stimulate your bladder.
Use an alarm clock. Set it to wake you up at regular times during the night so you can use the bathroom.
Try a bed-wetting alarm system. You attach it to your underwear or a pad on your bed. It will alert you as soon as you start to wet the bed.
Take medicines. Several can help with bed-wetting. Desmopressin reduces the amount of urine your kidneys make.
Other drugs calm overactive bladder muscles, such as:
If medicines and other treatments don’t work, your doctor might recommend one of these procedures:
Bladder augmentation. It’s an operation that makes your bladder larger, which raises the amount of urine it can hold.
Sacral nerve stimulation. It helps control an overactive bladder. Your doctor puts a small device into your body that sends signals to nerves in your lower back that help control the flow of urine.
Detrusor myectomy. It’s a major operation that treats an overactive bladder. Your surgeon removes part or all of the muscles around your bladder to stop them from contracting at the wrong times.
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How Is Enuresis Treated
Doctors can do several things to treat bedwetting, depending on what’s causing it. If an illness is responsible, which is not very common, it will be treated.
If the history and physical exam do not find a medical problem and the urine tests are negative, several behavioral approaches can be used for treatment:
If you’re worried about enuresis, the best thing to do is talk to your doctor for ideas on how to cope with it. Your mom or dad can also give you tips on how to cope, especially if he or she had the problem as a teen.
The good news is that it’s likely that bedwetting will go away on its own.
Nocturia Causes: Why Do I Pee So Much At Night
So, what causes you to go to the bathroom at night to urinate so frequently? There are a variety of medical conditions that can cause nocturia, which can include a urinary tract infection , a form of overflow incontinence, pregnancy, aging in older adults, diuretic fluid intake or drinking too close to bedtime.More plainly, frequently urinating at night can also be a symptom of having an overactive bladder.
An overactive bladder is another common cause of nocturia, which is the result of bladder muscles that spasm and contract involuntarily, even when your bladder isnât full. This can send you running to the bathroom â or, as can be the case with nighttime incontinence, wetting the bed. An overactive bladder is often the result of nerve damage caused by previous pelvic surgery, or a neurological disease such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinsonâs. In some cases, a particularly difficult birthing process can cause damage to the surrounding muscles, tissues and nerves surrounding the bladder, leaving you with a sensitive bladder.
Our bodies produce less urine while weâre sleeping. However, this means that the urine we do produce is more concentrated and acidic, which can aggravate a sensitive bladder, causing it to spasm and wake you up at night having to pee.
Other times, nocturia is a result of too much urine production. This is usually due to an underlying medical problem that should be ruled out with your doctor, such as:
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The Importance Of Drinking Fluids
Some people think if they cut down on how much fluid they drink through the day they may reduce nocturia. This is not correct. Drinking too little can cause you to become dehydrated. Being dehydrated makes the urine stronger . This can upset the bladder and make you need to go to the toilet more often. Dehydration can also lead to constipation.
Avoid being dehydrated as it can also cause:
- low blood pressure
Overnight Incontinence: How To Stay Happy Healthy And Dry While You Sleep
Urinary Incontinence the involuntary leaking or emptying of the bladder is stressful enough to deal with on any level. But when it comes to turning in for the night, incontinence can turn an experience that is supposed to be restful and enjoyable into a proverbial nightmare. Bedwetting, also referred to as nocturnal enuresis, is more common than you might think: It affects 4.2 million American adults. While some adults may have been experiencing bedwetting since they were children , it can also develop during adulthood and can occur when an adult is experiencing UI for any number of reasons, including injury, surgery, childbirth, medical conditions, medications, or genetics.
But just because youre experiencing overnight incontinence does not mean theres nothing to be done with the right precautions, you can manage your condition for dry, stress-free nights.
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Treatment Of Urinary Incontinence
Treatment usually begins with bladder training and Kegel exercises. Avoiding physical stresses that cause loss of urine and losing weight may help control incontinence. Pseudoephedrine may be useful in women with bladder outlet incompetence. Imipramine may be used for mixed stress and urge incontinence Urge incontinence Urinary incontinence is involuntary loss of urine. Incontinence can occur in both men and women at any age, but it is more common among women and older people, affecting about 30% of older women… read more or for either separately. Duloxetine is also used for stress incontinence. If stress incontinence is caused by atrophic urethritis or vaginitis, estrogen cream is often effective. For people with stress incontinence, urinating frequently to avoid a full bladder is often helpful.
For stress incontinence that is not relieved with drugs and behavioral measures, surgery or devices such as pessaries may be helpful. The vaginal sling procedure creates a hammock of support to help prevent the urethra from opening during coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Most commonly, a sling is created from synthetic mesh. Mesh implants are effective, but a few people with mesh implants have serious complications. Alternatively, doctors can create a sling using tissue from the abdominal wall or leg. In men with stress incontinence, a mesh sling or an artificial urinary sphincter implant may be placed around the urethra to prevent leakage of urine.
What The Doctor Does
Doctors first ask questions about the person’s symptoms and medical history. Doctors then do a physical examination. What they find during the history and physical examination often suggests a cause of the incontinence and the tests that may need to be done.
Doctors ask questions about the circumstances of urine loss, including amount, time of day, and any precipitating factors . People are asked whether they can sense the need to urinate and, if so, whether the sensation is normal or comes with sudden urgency. Doctors may also ask the person to estimate the amount of urine leakage. Doctors will also ask whether the person has any additional problems with urination, such as pain or burning during urination, a frequent need to urinate, difficulty starting urination, or a weak urine stream.
Sometimes doctors may ask people to keep a record of their urination habits over a day or two. This record is called a voiding diary. Each time the person urinates, the volume and time are recorded. After an episode of incontinence, the person also records any related activities, especially eating, drinking, drug use, or sleep.
Although urodynamic testing is important, results do not always predict response to drug treatment or assess the relative importance of multiple causes.
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What Is The Main Cause Of Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is usually caused by problems with the muscles and nerves that help the bladder hold or pass urine. Certain health events unique to women, such as pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause, can cause problems with these muscles and nerves. Other causes of urinary incontinence include: Overweight.
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How Can I Help My Child Live With Enuresis
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Remember that your child cant control the problem without help. Dont scold or blame them.
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Make sure your child is not teased by family or friends.
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Keep in mind that many children outgrow enuresis.
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Protect your childs mattress bed with a fitted plastic sheet.
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Have a change of clothes on hand while out and about.
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Tracking Elderly Bed Wetting
A detailed record of a seniors symptoms and bathroom habits can help a health care provider determine possible causes and treatments for nighttime incontinence. Keeping a diary over several days should provide enough data to assist a doctor in making a diagnosis, ordering any additional tests and developing a plan of care.
Dont be embarrassed by sharing this personal information. As with any health concern, providing a complete picture of the issue will help improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis and treatment. Be sure to include the following details in such a journal:
- Urination times throughout the day and night
- Timing of any incontinence accidents during the day and night
- Estimated amount of urine voided each time
- Detailed information on fluid intake
- Nature of the urinary stream
- Indication of an existing or recurrent urinary tract infection
- Note any other symptoms associated with urination and nocturnal enuresis, such as night sweats
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Types Of Nocturnal Enuresis
Persistent Primary Nocturnal Enuresis is a condition which starts during childhood, where night time dryness has not been achieved for longer than six months. About 2 3% of adults over 18 years of age have this type of nocturnal enuresis. Adult Onset Secondary Enuresis is defined as nocturnal enuresis in which night time dryness has been achieved at some point in life. Dryness may have occurred for many years but then night time wetting suddenly begins at an older age.
When Is Enuresis A Problem
Many children may have enuresis from time to time. It can take some children longer than others to learn to control their bladder. Girls often have bladder control before boys. Because of this, enuresis is diagnosed in girls earlier than in boys. Girls may be diagnosed as young as age 5. Boys are not diagnosed until at least age 6.
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Urinary Incontinence In Men: Causes Symptoms And Treatment
Written byDr. Victor MarchionePublished onAugust 8, 2016
Urinary incontinence or loss of bladder control in men is not uncommon, but it can be treated once the cause is determined.
Uncontrollable urine in men or urinary incontinence occurs in eleven to 34 percent of older men, but it is not just an issue that impacts the aging. Younger men can also experience UI due to health problems. Urinary incontinence also happens to women, but the biggest issue with UI in men is that they are less likely to speak with their doctors about it. This means that the statistics could actually be much higher in men that the current numbers indicate. Discussing the problem is the first step to addressing the symptoms and finding a treatment.
Urinary incontinence often results in the accidental leakage of urine from the body, so it can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. A man can feel a strong, sudden need to urinate just before losing a large amount of urine. Doctors refer to this as urgency incontinence. For some people, this condition keeps them from enjoying certain activities, including sports and exercise. It can also cause a lot of emotional distress.
There are different types of urinary incontinence, so it is important to get a proper assessment from a doctor to determine what type you might have and how to go address it. The types of UI men experience include urgency incontinence, stress incontinence, functional incontinence, overflow UI, and transient UI.
When To Seek Medical Advice
See a GP if you have any type of urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is a common problem and you should not feel embarrassed talking to them about your symptoms.
This can also be the first step towards finding a way to effectively manage the problem.
The GP may also suggest you keep a diary in which you note how much fluid you drink and how often you have to urinate.
Find out about diagnosing urinary incontinence.
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What Are Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises, also called Kegels or pelvic floor muscle training, are exercises for your pelvic floor muscles to help prevent or reduce stress urinary incontinence. Your pelvic floor muscles support your uterus, bladder, small intestine, and rectum.
Four in 10 women improved their symptoms after trying Kegels.9 Kegels can be done daily and may be especially helpful during pregnancy. They can help prevent the weakening of pelvic floor muscles, which often happens during pregnancy and childbirth. Your pelvic floor muscles may also weaken with age and less physical activity.
Some women have urinary symptoms because the pelvic floor muscles are always tightened. In this situation, Kegel exercises will not help your urinary symptoms and may cause more problems. Talk to your doctor or nurse about your urinary symptoms before doing Kegel exercises.
What To Expect At Your Appointment
During your appointment, your healthcare professional will likely ask questions about your symptoms. Theyll probably want to know how long youve been incontinent, which types of incontinence youve experienced, and other details.
They may also ask about your daily habits, including your typical diet and any medications or supplements that you take.
Depending on your symptoms and medical history, they may also order additional tests, including:
- Collecting a sample of urine for analysis. Laboratory staff can check the urine sample for signs of infection or other problems.
- Measuring the amount of urine that you release when urinating, the amount left over in your bladder, and the pressure in your bladder. This information is gathered by inserting a catheter, or a small tube, into your urethra and your bladder.
- Conducting a cystoscopy. During this test, theyll insert a small camera into your bladder to examine it up close.
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No Caffeine Before Bed
Caffeine has been linked to bladder problems, so it might be best to avoid it completely. However, it should particularly be avoided before going to bed. Not only could the caffeine keep you awake, it can increase your risk of a bed wetting episode, since it is a diuretic that increases urine output.
The Right Incontinence Product For The Night
MoliCare® Premium Mobile 10 drops Day & Night Protection are a pull up style product with a soft textile, elasticated material that contours to your body-shape and can be worn like regular underwear. They provide full protection both in the day and at nighttime and still allow you to go to the toilet easily. Molicare Premium Mobile has a pH value of 5.5 and its advanced quick dry system with a triple-layer absorbent core ensures skin-friendliness. Up to 12 hours of leakage protection is secured based on high quality material and the two-part cuff system. Convenient removal by tear-open side seams.
For an additional layer of protection, you may also consider using a Bed Mat which is laid on the bed to protect any leakages from reaching the mattress.
Those caring for a person who is incontinent should be aware that the skin can become irritated. In cases where the skin does become irritated it would be recommended to speak to your GP so that a suitable barrier cream recommended. We have an article about “How To Maintain Good Hygiene For Someone You Care For” read it here > >
The various therapy methods and high-quality incontinence products help you and your loved ones to get dry again at night so that nothing stands in the way of a good nights sleep.
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