Tips To Help You Control Urinary Incontinence At Night
Urinary incontinence is troubling no matter the time of day, but it is particularly upsetting at night because it disrupts your sleep. Nighttime urinary incontinence comes in two forms: adult nocturnal enuresis and nocturia. The former causes you to wet the bed while youre asleep, and the latter wakes you up several times a night to go to the bathroom. Eagles Landing OB/GYN can help you with your urinary incontinence. Here are some tips you can do at home to keep everything dry while you sleep.
Loss Of Bladder Control At Night
The material provided below is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional. You should always seek medical advice before consuming any new medicines or supplements. AZO products referenced on this website are not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease such as overactive bladder, urinary tract infections, or vaginal infections.
A large percentage of adults wake up more than once at nightand some of us may also experience occasional frequent urinary urgency or bladder leakage that can exacerbate sleeplessness.
The potential causes for occasional bladder leakage are many and varied, including anything from stress to dietary habitslike acidic foods and too much caffeine or alcohol. Occasional bladder control issues are more than just frustrating, they can impact your quality of life, your daily routine, your sleep quality, your self-confidence and even your mental state.
While there are many potential causes of losing bladder control at night, there are techniques that can help you deal with the problem and make it less common.
What Causes Bedwetting In Children
Nighttime wetting is often related to slow physical development, a family history of bedwetting, or making too much urine at night. In many cases, there is more than one cause. Children almost never wet the bed on purposeand most children who wet the bed are physically and emotionally normal.
Sometimes a health condition can lead to bedwetting, such as diabetes or constipation.
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Understanding The Causes Of Nighttime Urinary Incontinence In Men
After a long tiring day, you have settled in bed under the covers for a restful night of sleep. But just as you start drifting off into dreamland, you feel sudden dampness between your legs. Youve wet the bed something you havent done since you were maybe five years old. If this sounds all too familiar, along with constant impromptu bathroom visits interrupting your sleep, you are not alone. Nearly 50 percent of adults aged 50 to 79 suffer from Nocturia, also known as nighttime incontinence. These constant visits to the bathroom can prevent you from getting a good nights sleep and wreak havoc on your overall health. So, lets learn about the causes of nighttime urinary incontinence in men.
Two Main Types Of Bladder Leakage
There are two main types of bladder leakage: stress incontinence and urge incontinence, to use the technical terms. Stress incontinence happens when urine leaks out while doing an activity such as lifting, laughing, or coughing. However, it doesnt have anything to do with being stressed out, as its name implies. In fact, the stress has more to do with physical strain. When laughing, you naturally increase the pressure put on the abdomen, which also puts strain on the bladder. This type of bladder leakage is common for middle aged women and those that have had a vaginal birth. The weakened pelvic floor muscles makes it difficult to hold in urine.
Urge incontinence, on the other hand, occurs when you have a strong urge to urinate even when your bladder is not full. The urge to urinate comes about suddenly and sometimes includes the loss of urine before one can reach the restroom. This type of bladder leakage is caused by rogue bladder muscle contractions. Often times, urge incontinence is a result of another physical problem in the body, such as issues with the spine, nerves, or brain. A large majority of the women diagnosed with this condition are actually postmenopausal.
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Alcohol Consumption Before Bed
Many people experience bedwetting only after they have consumed alcoholin the hours before bedtime. Alcohol suppresses ADH production and irritates the detrusor muscle, which signals to your brain that its time to urinate.
Treating alcohol-related incontinence: Reducing your alcohol intake can make a big difference in your life, especially if it is causing uncomfortable side effects like bedwetting.
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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When To See A Doctor
People with warning signs should go to an emergency department at once. People without warning signs should call their doctor. The doctor will decide how quickly they need to be seen based on their other symptoms and other known conditions. In general, if incontinence is the only symptom, a delay of a week or so is not harmful.
Most people are embarrassed to mention incontinence to their doctors. Some people believe that incontinence is a normal part of aging. However, incontinence, even incontinence that has been present for some time or that occurs in an older person, may be helped by treatment. If symptoms of urinary incontinence are bothersome, interfere with activities of daily living, or cause people to curtail their social activities, people should see a doctor.
Dont Let Menopause And Bladder Leakage Stop You
Menopause alone is not the only cause of bladder control problems but its one of the biggest ones. If bladder leakage is concerning you, then consider what you can do to reduce its impact. You dont have to live in fear or walk around believing that youre alone. At least 1 in 4 women over 35 have weak bladders and they live normal lives, so you can too.
If youre ready to make the first step towards improving your bladder leaks, take our quiz to determine what kind of bladder leaks you have and then order a bladder leak product subscription.
Got advice for other menopausal women on how to manage the urges and drips? Share it in the comments!
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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.
Am I At A Higher Risk Of Incontinence At An Older Age
Your body constantly changes throughout your life. As you age, the muscles that support your pelvic organs can weaken. This means that your bladder and urethra have less support often leading to urine leakage. Your risk for developing incontinence as you age might be higher if you have a chronic health condition, have given birth to children, went through menopause, have an enlarged prostate or have had prostate cancer surgery. Its important to talk to your healthcare provider over time about the risks of incontinence and ways you can manage it without interference to your daily life.
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Urinary Incontinence In Men
Bladder leakage in men can be caused by a birth defect of the urinary tract.
Men also have the risk of contracting urinary incontinence with a history of prostate cancer. The treatment from radiation and medication may result in temporary or permanent bladder leakage.
An enlarged prostate without cancer cells may lead to a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. This condition causes the prostate to expand and apply pressure to the urethra, resulting in the walls of the bladder also expanding and thickening. Over time, the bladder weakens and retains some volume after urination.
There Are Different Types
If you experience incontinence when you sneeze, cough, or exercise, you may have stress incontinence, which is leakage from added pressure on the abdomen that pushes urine past the urethra.
If you stand up and are unable to hold off on emptying your bladder before you reach the bathroom, you may have urge incontinence, otherwise known as an overactive bladder.
Many women have a combination of stress and urge incontinence called mixed incontinence. And although less likely, some women experience overflow, a rare condition which causes frequent urinary leaks due to a constant full bladder.
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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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Essentials For Older People: Urinary Incontinence
Although incontinence is more common among older people, it is not a normal part of aging.
With aging, bladder capacity decreases, ability to delay urination declines, involuntary bladder contractions occur more often, and bladder contractions weaken. Thus, urination becomes more difficult to postpone and tends to be incomplete. The muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue of the pelvis weaken, contributing to incontinence. In postmenopausal women, decreased estrogen levels lead to atrophic urethritis and atrophic vaginitis and to decreasing the strength of the urethral sphincter. In men, prostate size increases, partially obstructing the urethra and leading to incomplete bladder emptying and strain on the bladder muscle. These changes occur in many normal, continent older people and may facilitate incontinence but do not cause it.
). These effects, such as constipation, dry mouth, blurred vision, and sometimes even confusion, can be particularly troublesome in older people.
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Incontinence And Alzheimers Disease
People in the later stages of Alzheimers disease often have problems with urinary incontinence. This can be a result of not realizing they need to urinate, forgetting to go to the bathroom, or not being able to find the toilet. To minimize the chance of accidents, the caregiver can:
- Avoid giving drinks like caffeinated coffee, tea, and sodas, which may increase urination. But dont limit water.
- Keep pathways clear and the bathroom clutter-free, with a light on at all times.
- Make sure you provide regular bathroom breaks.
- Supply underwear that is easy to get on and off.
- Use absorbent underclothes for trips away from home.
For more ways to deal with incontinence and other common medical problems in someone with Alzheimers, visit Alzheimers Disease: Common Medical Problems.
Causes Of Urinary Incontinence
Stress incontinence is usually the result of the weakening of or damage to the muscles used to prevent urination, such as the pelvic floor muscles and the urethral sphincter.
Urge incontinence is usually the result of overactivity of the detrusor muscles, which control the bladder.
Overflow incontinence is often caused by an obstruction or blockage in your bladder, which prevents it from emptying fully.
Total incontinence may be caused by a problem with the bladder from birth, a spinal injury, or a small, tunnel like hole that can form between the bladder and a nearby area .
Certain things can increase the chances of urinary incontinence, including:
- pregnancy and vaginal birth
Find out more about the causes of urinary incontinence.
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How Does The Urinary System Work
The urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, the bladder and urethra. The kidneys filter the blood to remove waste products and produce urine. The urine flows from the kidneys down through the ureters to the bladder. A ring of muscle squeezes shut to keep urine in the bladder and relaxes when we need to wee. The urine passes through another tube called the urethra to the outside when urinating .
Medical Conditions Related To Nocturia
There are both medical conditions and medicines that can cause and increase night time urination. If you suspect that there is an underlying health condition, or that your medicine is causing night time urination, contact your physician. Sometimes, a simple change in when you take your medicine can help reduce the side effects.
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Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles
Your pelvic floor muscles do important work! In women, the pelvic floor is a sling of muscles that stretches from the pubic bone to the tailbone, and also from side-to-side. These muscles support your bladder, bowels, and uterus.
In men, similar muscles function as a sort of hammock for the bladder and bowels.
Weak pelvic floor muscles are a frequent cause of incontinence, including nighttime incontinence. Sometimes, these muscles are so weak that they do not prevent the leakage of urine from the bladder overnight.
Treating pelvic floor weakness: You can do pelvic floor exercises at home to strengthen this muscle group, or you can seek pelvic floor therapy with a trained physical therapist.
Why Do Bladder And Bowel Incontinence Happen
When the bladder and bowel function normally, nerves tell certain muscles when to tense up and when to relax. Nerves in the spinal cord send messages from the brain to the bladder. Sphincter muscles control the flow of urine. Muscles in the rectum and anus control or release stool. These nerve and muscle processes allow urine and feces to be removed when you want them to.
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Urinary Incontinence In Older Adults
Urinary incontinence means a person leaks urine by accident. While it may happen to anyone, urinary incontinence is more common in older people, especially women. Incontinence can often be cured or controlled. Talk to your healthcare provider about what you can do.
What happens in the body to cause bladder control problems? The body stores urine in the bladder. During urination, muscles in the bladder tighten to move urine into a tube called the urethra. At the same time, the muscles around the urethra relax and let the urine pass out of the body. When the muscles in and around the bladder dont work the way they should, urine can leak. Incontinence typically occurs if the muscles relax without warning.
Behavioral And Lifestyle Changes For Bladder Leakage Treatment
Bladder leakage treatment is based on the underlying cause and type of urine incontinence. Both men and women may face similar challenges within the treatment plan that may include urgency suppression, bladder training, and lifestyle changes.
A treatment plan usually begins with behavioral and lifestyle changes such as exercises for leaky bladder. Medications may be required alongside behavioral tasks to reduce muscle spasms or health conditions such as prostate enlargement. In severe cases, surgical procedures may be necessary.
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What Causes Bladder Leaks
There are two main types of urinary incontinence:
Stress incontinence
If you have this type, activities that raise the pressure inside your abdomen cause urine to leak through the ring of muscle in your bladder that normally holds it in. Coughing, sneezing, jumping and lifting heavy objects could lead to a leak.
Going through childbirth, smoking or being overweight can raise the risk of stress incontinence for women, Wright says. Stress incontinence in men is rare, and when it arises, its often due to prostate cancer treatment, such as radiation or surgery.
Urge incontinence
With this type, your brain, spinal cord and bladder dont work together properly to allow you to hold and release urine at the right time. Your bladder may suddenly empty itself without warning. Or you may feel like you need to urinate frequently, a problem called overactive bladder.
Some diseases that affect the nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis or stroke, can cause this kind of incontinence, says Wright. In men, an enlarged prostate may be the culprit. But in many cases, doctors dont know what causes urge incontinence.
It is possible to have both types of incontinence at the same time.
TRY IT: Keep Records
Your doctor will want to know as much as possible about your bladder leakswhen they occur, how much urine comes out, and what youre doing when leaks happen. Consider keeping a diary of when you urinate and when you have leaks, recommends Wright.