What Causes Urinary Incontinence At Night

What Causes Nighttime Bladder Leaking In Men

Medications, health issues, and lifestyle choices can affect the presence of Nocturia in men. Aging is obviously a big factor among the other causes of nighttime urinary incontinence. The older you get, the less your body produces the hormone that tells your kidneys to hold in urine while youre sleeping.

Also, the urinary bladder loses its natural elasticity with age. As you grow older, your bladders ability to hold onto urine for extended periods diminishes. As a result, you are forced to visit the bathroom multiple times in the middle of the night.

Research shows that Nocturia can affect the health and wellbeing of the patients. It can result in depression, fatigue, anxiety, poor memory, gastrointestinal issues, heart disease, and even increased risk of falling or losing your balance. After all, sleep is one of the most critical factors behind good health. Without enough restful sleep, your body is bound to suffer.

What Is The Difference Between Urge Incontinence And Stress Incontinence

Urge incontinence and stress incontinence have different causes and symptoms.

• Stress incontinence is due to abdominal pressure on your bladder. It causes you to leak small amounts of urine.
• Urge incontinence results from an overactive bladder. It causes you to leak a lot of urine.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Leaking urine for any reason isnt an unavoidable part of aging, so dont be embarrassed to talk to your healthcare provider. Treatments can help. You can learn pelvic floor exercises and use biofeedback to improve urge incontinence symptoms. If needed, you can try medications or nerve stimulation, too. With proper therapies, you can treat urge incontinence, regain control of your bladder and enjoy life more.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/05/2021.

References

What Is Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the accidental loss of urine. According to the National Association for Continence, over 25 million adult Americans experience temporary or chronic urinary incontinence. UI can occur at any age, but it is more common among women over 50. Urinary incontinence may be a temporary condition that results from an underlying medical condition. It can range from the discomfort of slight losses of urine to severe, frequent wetting.

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Tips For Getting Your Groove Back

There are some things you can do to ward off discomfort or embarrassment during sex.

Talk about it. First, know that your partner will probably be a lot more understanding than you expect. Then bring it up before you have intercourse. âDonât wait until it happens and say, âOh, guess what?ââ Denson says. âItâs better to be upfront and honest ahead of time.â

Plan. Prepare for sex, just as you do for bedtime. Double-void, cut back on fluids, and avoid foods and beverages that are likely to irritate your bladder.

Keep up the Kegels. Doing these several times a day — and even during intercourse — will help prevent urine leakage during sex.

All of these approaches can help you manage your overactive bladder at night, letting you get a better nightâs sleep and have a more active and satisfying sex life. But Sanz adds that if your overactive bladder is really causing you problems, thereâs no reason you need to live with it.

âThere is hope. There is treatment,â he says. You need to be evaluated by a urogynecologist, who will talk to you about three types of treatment: behavioral modification, medication, and surgical procedures are available, he says. âYou donât have to let an overactive bladder interfere with your life.â

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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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Causes Of Urinary Incontinence In Children

The pattern of incontinence helps the doctor determine the likely cause. If the child has never had a consistent dry period during the day, the doctor may consider the possibility of a birth defect, an anatomic abnormality, or certain behaviors that can lead to incontinence.

Several uncommon but important disorders affect the normal anatomy or function of the bladder, which can lead to urinary incontinence. For example, a spinal cord defect such as spina bifida Neural Tube Defects and Spina Bifida Neural tube defects are a certain type of birth defect of the brain, spine, and/or spinal cord. Neural tube defects can result in nerve damage, learning disabilities, paralysis, and death. The… read more can cause abnormal nerve function to the bladder and lead to incontinence. Some infants have a birth defect that prevents the bladder or urethra from developing completely, leading to nearly constant urine loss . Another type of birth defect causes the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder to end in an abnormal location in the bladder or even outside the bladder , causing incontinence to the bladder . People… read more ). Some children have an overactive bladder that easily spasms or contracts, causing incontinence, whereas others may have difficulty emptying their bladder.

How Is Urinary Incontinence Treated

You and your doctor or nurse will work together to create a treatment plan. You may start with steps you can take at home. If these steps do not improve your symptoms, your doctor or nurse may recommend other treatments depending on whether you have stress incontinence or urge incontinence or both.

Be patient as you work with your doctor or nurse on a treatment plan. It may take a month or longer for different treatments to begin working.

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Things You Can Buy To Help

If you find that you still have trouble throughout the night, it might be time for some professional help. We can examine you and prescribe medication to help you release all your urine prior to bed. We can also prescribe medication to relax your bladder compressions. If you are wetting the bed, a bedwetting alarm will wake you up at the first drop so you can hop out of bed and head to the bathroom.

If you still have trouble, its time to take a deep breath and, without feeling ashamed because you are not alone, purchase a plastic mattress cover and urinary incontinence briefs or pads. Dont be embarrassed. Millions of Americans suffer from urinary incontinence. Its normal for us to lose control of our bladders as we age and these products protect our mattresses and night clothing from urination.

Eagles Landing OB/GYN would be happy to discuss your concerns over urinary incontinence. Call our medical facility in Stockbridge, GA, at 770-474-1919 to set up an appointment with one of our medical professionals. Well help you stay dry throughout the day and at night.

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.

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Could It Have Anything To Do With My Heart

When your ticker doesnât pump the way it should, fluid builds up. Youâll notice this especially in your ankles.

When you lie down, your body flushes out the extra fluid. That fills your bladder and wakes you up.

You might help control the swelling by resting with your feet up during the day, or by wearing compression socks.

Treatments For Nighttime Bed Wetting

Seniors who experience persistent nocturnal enuresis typically make an appointment with their primary care physician or family doctor to address the issue. However, some cases may require a referral to a specialist, such as a urologist or a sleep disorder specialist. It can be uncomfortable to discuss bodily functions with another person, but a medical professional will be able to provide options for treating bed wetting. In many cases, nighttime incontinence can be minimized or completely cured.

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Additional Factors And Underlying Issues

Here are a few factors that can contribute to nighttime incontinence:

• Drinking too much caffeine and/or alcohol
• Drinking too many fluids right before bedtime
• Taking diuretics

Sometimes, Nocturia is simply a symptom of a greater problem, such as:

• High blood pressure
• Insomnia or other sleep disorders
• Congestive heart failure

• Use male incontinence products while sleeping.
• Use waterproof sheet protectors or mattress covers to make cleaning up easier.
• Wear compression stockings. They apply pressure against your leg and reduce the pressure on your veins. As a result, fluids are redistributed and reabsorbed into your bloodstream.

In addition to following these tips, it is also important to talk to your doctor and rule out any serious underlying health issues. This a common issue that comes with aging, so dont feel embarrassed to seek professional attention.

What Is Pediatric Incontinence

Heres how urination normally works for children and adults, too. The bladder, a small balloon-shaped organ receives and stores urine produced by the kidneys. The bladder muscles remain relaxed while the bladder fills with urine. Then when its convenient, the bladder contracts and empties through the urethrawhere sphincters and pelvic floor muscles loosen to allow the urine pass and tighten afterwards to stop it.

But when children have urinary incontinence, they involuntary release urine even after being toiled-trained. It may occur during the day or night. Most children are potty-trained by age 5, and those who arent fully trained by then or who continue to have accidents may have an underlying medical condition or other issue that is causing the problem. If a child between the ages of 5 and 18 has two or more wetting episodes a month, he or she may benefit from treatment to gain bladder control.

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What Happens In Enuresis

There are two kinds of enuresis:

• Someone with primary nocturnal enuresis has wet the bed since he or she was a baby. This is the most common type of enuresis.
• Secondary enuresis is a condition that develops at least 6 months or even several years after a person has learned to control their bladder.

The bladder is a muscular receptacle, or holding container, for pee . It expands as pee enters and then contracts to push the pee out.

In a person with normal bladder control:

• Nerves in the bladder wall send a message to the brain when the bladder is full.
• The brain then sends a message back to the bladder to keep it from automatically emptying until the person is ready to go to the bathroom.

But people with nocturnal enuresis have a problem that causes them to pee involuntarily at night.

Look For A Suitable Product

You will feel much more confident and prepared for leaks if you are in the right product. There is a variety of pads and pants in the market with all different absorbency levels. For nighttime, all in ones can be the most effective as they generally have the highest absorbency. They are also comfortable for long term use.

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Diagnosing And Treating Bed Wetting In The Elderly

Nocturnal enuresis is the involuntary voiding of urine during sleep. This condition is more commonly known as bed wetting. While nighttime loss of bladder control is often associated with young children, seniors may also suffer from involuntary urination for a number of reasons.

Causes of nighttime incontinence in the elderly include diabetes, urinary tract infection , medication side effects, neurological disorders, anatomical abnormalities, overactive bladder, prostate enlargement or prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and obstructive sleep apnea. In very rare cases, acute anxiety or an emotional disorder may cause adult bed wetting.

Urinary incontinence episodes are messy and can be embarrassing. Fortunately, there are treatments available and techniques that seniors and their caregivers can use to minimize the likelihood of elderly bed wetting.

Watch Your Liquid Intake Before Bed

If you suffer from Nocturnal Enuresis, its important to cut down on caffeine and alcohol in the evening. You should also ensure you only consume fluid up to 2 hours prior to bedtime. One tip is to make sure you visit the toilet right before bed. However, you do need to ensure you do not become dehydrated.

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Should I Drink Less Water Or Other Fluids If I Have Urinary Incontinence

No. Many people with urinary incontinence think they need to drink less to reduce how much urine leaks out. But you need fluids, especially water, for good health.

Women need 91 ounces of fluids a day from food and drinks.11 Getting enough fluids helps keep your kidneys and bladder healthy, prevents urinary tract infections, and prevents constipation, which may make urinary incontinence worse.

After age 60, people are less likely to get enough water, putting them at risk for dehydration and conditions that make urinary incontinence worse.12

Diagnosis Of Urinary Incontinence

The first step in treating incontinence is to see a doctor. He or she will give you a physical exam and take your medical history. The doctor will ask about your symptoms and the medicines you use. He or she will want to know if you have been sick recently or had surgery. Your doctor also may do a number of tests. These might include:

• Urine and blood tests
• Tests that measure how well you empty your bladder

In addition, your doctor may ask you to keep a daily diary of when you urinate and when you leak urine. Your family doctor may also send you to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in urinary tract problems.

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What Is Enuresis In Children

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. In children younger than age 3, its normal to not have full bladder control. As children get older, they become more able to control their bladder. Wetting is called enuresis when it happens in a child who is old enough to control his or her bladder. Enuresis can happen during the day or at night. It can be a frustrating condition. But its important to be patient and remember that its not your childs fault. A child does not have control over enuresis. And there are many ways to treat it and help your child.

There are 4 types of enuresis. A child may have 1 or more of these types:

• Nighttime enuresis. This means wetting during the night. Its often called bedwetting. Its the most common type of enuresis.

• Daytime enuresis. This is wetting during the day.

• Primary enuresis. This happens when a child has not fully mastered toilet training.

• Secondary enuresis. This is when a child has a period of dryness, but then returns to having periods of wetting.

Tips For Managing Enuresis

• Remember, your child cant control the problem without help. Make sure not to scold or blame. Make sure your child is not teased by family or friends.

• Keep in mind that many children outgrow enuresis.

• Protect your childs mattress bed with a fitted plastic sheet.

• Have a change of clothes on hand while out and about.

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How Do I Do Kegel Exercises

Kegel exercises are a simple way to build strength in your pelvic floor muscles. These exercises are done by lifting, holding and then relaxing your pelvic floor muscles. You can find these muscles by stopping the flow of urine mid-stream while youre urinating. Only do this until you learn how to find the muscles stopping the flow of urine mid-stream isnt healthy over a long period of time.

When youre doing Kegel exercises, start small. Only hold it for a few second. Over time you can slowly work your way up to longer and longer stretches of holding the muscles tight.

Unlike other types of workouts, no one can tell when youre doing Kegel exercises. Aim to do several sets of Kegel exercises twice a day.

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:

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