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
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