Three More Possible Causes Of Nighttime Overactive Bladder
Dr. Greenleaf explains, Low-level infections that linger can cause inflammation in the pelvic organs.
Typically urgency, frequency and nocturia may be the only symptoms.
Sensitivities any chemicals that can irritate delicate pelvic tissue can present as irritative urinary symptoms such as nocturia.
Sensitivities to dyes, perfumes and detergents are widespread.
Dehydration 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
Thirst isnt always a symptom. But check the color of your urine. A dark yellow, yellow-orange or even pure orange indicates dehydration.
Shutterstock/gritsalak karalak
Dehydration concentrates the urine, which is more irritating to the lining of the bladder or urethra, adds Dr. Greenleaf.
Youll need to balance rehydration with making sure not to drink too much water or juice close to bedtime.
This will require experimentation as far as amount and when you drink it relative to going to bed.
Here is a study on nocturia prevalence.
Dr. Greenleafis board certified in obstetrics/gynecology, female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, and procedural medicine and aesthetics. She is host of Some of Your Parts Podcast and owner of the Pelvic Floor Store. Follow her on Instagram.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained clients of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
Make Your Bedroom Conducive To Sleep
Treat yourself to the finest sheets and blankets you can afford. Maintain your bedroom as a private retreat that promotes relaxation. Avoid using electronic devices right before bed. Your bedroom is a place for relaxation and sleep dont use it for other purposes. Keep your environment serene and quiet it is not the place to work out budgets, child care issues or relationship challenges.
Dont Let Fluid Build Up
Sometimes swelling in the extremities brings about bladder trouble, and if this is the case for you, practice some draining techniques. You can elevate your legs during the day with the help of a cushion or chair, which will keep fluid from pooling in your calves and ankles.
Compression socks or stockings are other helpful tools to ease fluid retention since they are designed to increase circulation through your legs. Since legs and feet are generally less swollen in the morning, get into the habit of putting on your stockings right after you wake up, and wear them until you go to bed .
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Taking Care Of Daytime Oab
OAB affects all hours of the day, and even though you may wish it vanished overnight, it does not. Overactive bladder starts in the daytime and extends throughout all hours.
Sometimes the best way to address nighttime OAB symptoms is by starting with daytime OAB. If a person can do well to manage symptoms during the day, there is a better chance that they can regulate their symptoms at night.
Of course, dealing with OAB symptoms during the day is not a simple process, but by taking simple steps a person can reduce the effects and prepare for a restful nights sleep.
Monitor Fluid Intake
There is not always a direct connection between fluid intake and OAB urges or incontinence, but the association is possible. Check to see when you are drinking, what you are drinking and how much you are drinking. Along the way, notice the impact that your daytime drinking has on your nighttime symptoms.
Schedule Bathroom Trips
Stay ahead of your OAB symptoms by making regular trips to the bathroom throughout the day. Whether you feel the need to use the bathroom or not, head to the facilities at regular intervals. When you keep your bladder empty, you can prevent symptoms from forming or becoming problematic.
Keep Up With Kegels
Pearls And Other Issues
Guideline and Quick Summary of Nocturia Treatments
Although nocturnal polyuria is the most common etiological finding in patients with bothersome nocturia, mixed causes are very common, usually requiring combination therapy.
Unfortunately, for most cases, there is no specific cure for nocturia. Establishing a reasonable patient expectation for partial resolution is important as complete eradication of significant nocturia is uncommon but most patients will be quite satisfied with a 50% reduction in their nocturnal voids.
Initial evaluation includes a history and physical , a blood test to rule out diabetes and check serum sodium, a post void residual urine volume and a 24-hour voiding diary. The importance of a properly done voiding diary cannot be overemphasized as it guides diagnostic differentiation and optimal treatment selection which usually involves a combination of therapies.
Simple behavioral and lifestyle measures should be tried first, for example, limiting fluid intake in the evening, increasing daytime physical activity, minimizing bedroom distractions to enhance sleep, using a bedside commode or urinal, performing regular Kegel and similar pelvic floor exercises, decreasing caffeine ingestion, avoiding high salt intake late in the day and elevating the lower extremities for several hours before bed.
Alpha-blockers can be useful in male patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy and other lower urinary tract symptoms besides nocturia.
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How Can Nerve Stimulation Help Overactive Bladder
There are several treatments that involve stimulating your nerves to help improve overactive bladder. Your nerves help communicate the message that your bladder needs to be emptied to your brain. By treating the nerves, your healthcare provider can improve your bladder control. Nerve stimulation is a reversible treatment that is considered when conservative treatments have not worked or have not been tolerated. Conservative treatments include behavioral therapies and medications.
There are several types of nerve stimulation treatments. These can include:
Medications To Help Control Oab
Botox isnt just for wrinkles! Doctors have found that small doses of Botox injections can paralyze bladder muscles. This prevents the contractions that cause urges. The results for using botox for OAB can last about 12 weeks, so youll need to repeat treatments. Caution: A potential side effect is the inability to empty the bladder completely.
Several medications can also help relieve overactive bladder. When used along with lifestyle methods, there is a high success rate.
With medications, you can:
Commonly prescribed medications for OAB include anticholinergics, bladder relaxants, target to decrease the bladder muscle overactivity. The medications start to work within one to two weeks, and patients experience the greatest relief within six weeks.
If you suffer from this uncontrollable urge to urinate – especially night-time accidents – you owe it to yourself to talk to your doctor. Theres no shame, as OAB is a very common problem. Change your lifestyle to help prevent and control the problem. And consider medications if your doctor feels it will help.
No one needs to suffer from OAB. You need a good nights sleep, so take control of the urge to urinate at night.
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Nocturia Treatment: How Can I Stop Excessive Urination At Night
Bladder leaks at night, or nocturia, can leave you with some wet clothes and sheets to grapple with in the morning.
If you have a sensitive bladder that spasms involuntarily, you may not wake up in time to use the facilities. Nighttime incontinence of this sort is best treated through lifestyle adjustments.
Use these tips and remedies to treat nocturia and frequent urination at night.
When To See A Doctor
Sleep is important for both your physical and mental health. Poor sleep can impact your alertness and memory, increase your stress levels, and raise your risk of health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Make an appointment with a doctor if you find that your OAB symptoms cause you to frequently get up to use the bathroom at night. They can recommend methods to help reduce your urinary frequency.
Its also a good idea to talk with a doctor if the strategies youre currently using to prevent nocturia become less effective or stop working. Its possible that your OAB treatment plan may need to be adjusted.
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Oab: Tips For Better Sex And Sleep
Few things ruin your slumber like having to get up to pee just when things are getting good. But if you have overactive bladder , you already know that, all too well.
Luckily, OAB doesnât have to ruin your sleep or your sex life. You can take simple steps to enjoy the rest — and the romance — you deserve.
Alternative Treatments For Nocturia
Many people turn to complementary and alternative medicine before seeking medical help. You may also be interested in alternative medications or treatments for nocturia, but there are few studies to support their use. These treatments may work for nocturia, but only if OAB is the cause.
For example, research has found that:
- herbal medications have a positive impact on symptoms of OAB and quality of life
- acupuncture provides short-term relief for OAB symptoms
- homeopathic remedies may have benefits, but need more studies
- alternative treatments have fewer side effects than medications
- saw palmetto berry extract has no benefit for nocturia
But more research is needed to confirm if CAM works for OAB.
Always talk to your doctor before trying a supplement or alternative treatment. Certain CAM treatments can cause unintended side effects, especially if youre already taking medication.
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What Foods And Drinks To Avoid
While you may want to drink less liquid so you dont have to urinate as often, you should still make sure you stay hydrated. More concentrated urine, usually darker in color, can irritate your bladder and cause more frequent urination.
Other foods and drinks can contribute to OAB symptoms, including:
- alcohol
- tea
- tomato-based foods
You can test which drinks or foods irritate your bladder by eliminating them from your diet. Then reincorporate them one by one every two to three days at a time. Permanently eliminate the particular food or drink that worsens your symptoms.
Medication For Overactive Bladder
Medications are also an option. Drugs called antimuscarinics make muscles in the bladder wall less able to contract. Drugs in common use include oxybutynin , tolterodine , and fesoterodine .
Antimuscarinics can cause side effects, such as memory impairment, skin redness, vision loss, hot flashes, and constipation. Because of memory effects, these drugs must be used cautiously in the elderly if they are already showing signs of cognitive decline.
Another concern about antimuscarinics is their narrow window of effectiveness. To benefit, you need just enough of the drug in your systembut not too much. If you overshoot, antimuscarinics can trigger dangerous urinary retention. This is when you cannot urinate for a prolonged period, but your kidneys keep filling the bladder. Its a medical emergency and requires immediate medical care. Acute urinary retention can damage your bladder and lead to kidney failure.
Injections into the bladder wall of botulinum toxin can help relax the twitchy muscles. But just as with treating wrinkles, Botox injections are not one and done. You need to return for repeat injections months later.
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Feel Free When You Control Your Pee
Having any amount of urinary incontinence is frustrating and some consider it embarrassing. If you can learn to manage your bladder a little better, it takes that weight off your shoulders.
Keep these tips in mind as you learn to go longer without overnight bathroom trips. Youre sure to see quick improvement if you stick with a few lifestyle changes!
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learned some helpful natural remedies for overactive bladder at night. If youre looking for more helpful articles about health, lifestyles, and more check out the rest of our blog today!
Put Your Bladder To Bed
Do you get up several times nightly to use the restroom? If so, you may have a bladder condition common to many women after having children or as they age: nocturia. This strange medical term can be simply defined as sleep disturbing urination, with two or more episodes per night. If you get up four or more times a night, its considered is severe. It affects the quality of sleep and therefore, the quality of life. It also promotes falls in older adults and in those who have problems walking.
Good To Know
Nocturia is one of the many symptoms of an overactive bladder . In women who have overactive bladder, two-thirds nocturia is the worst part of the problem. This condition occurs more frequently with age. While we all continue to make urine at night, but women with OAB make more urine at night. The increased urine volume leads to more urges to use the bathroom, also called nocturnal polyuria. Certain medical conditions can make nocturia more common, including heart failure, swollen legs, and some medications, such as diuretics or water pills.
What To Do
In my work with women who experience overactive bladder, I recommend keeping a voiding diary, noting frequency and volume of urine. This helps to correctly evaluate and diagnose nocturia.
Diet and lifestyle modifications are first steps to getting a good nights rest. Suggested measures may include:
A simple 4-question survey may be helpful to evaluate your personal situation.
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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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Nocturia Or Frequent Urination At Night
Millions of Americans are affected by a frequent need to urinate during the night. This is known as nocturia, and it is often cited as a cause of sleep disruptions. Though frequently thought of as a problem in elderly people, it can impact people of all ages.
Trips to the bathroom can cause fragmented sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, and an elevated risk of dangerous falls. Nocturia has numerous potential causes and can be connected to a range of serious health issues.
Although nocturia is common, it shouldnt be accepted as inevitable. In many cases, steps can be taken to reduce bathroom trips and improve sleep. Understanding the basics about frequent nighttime urination, including its causes, consequences, and treatments, can be a first step for people of any age to sleep better and with less bothersome nocturia.
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Tips For Oab & Travel
Overactive Bladder And Sleep Problems
Overactive bladder does not pay attention to your personal schedule it tends to cause problems around the clock. So, while you may have gained control over your daytime symptoms, things can go awry once you let your guard down as your head hits the pillow. In this article, we will review the connection between overactive bladder and sleep, and what you can do to avoid sleep disturbances. Luckily, there are a few overactive bladder and sleep techniques to help you get the shut-eye you need for restful nights and more comfortable days.
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Relaxation For Daytime And Nighttime Oab Relief
Perhaps the best way to address daytime and nighttime OAB symptoms is through relaxation. Relaxation strategies come in many forms, so there is an appropriate relaxation style for everyone.
There is a strong connection between stress and OAB symptoms, with increased OAB symptoms resulting in higher stress, and higher stress levels resulting in increased OAB symptoms. Relaxation helps to put a persons body and mind at ease to yield a two-layer benefit.
Deep Breathing
Guided Imagery
This practice involves using audio cues to transport you to another time and place. By finding yourself on a moonlit beach, a serene forest, or away from everyone in the middle of the sea, guided imagery produces a relaxed mindset.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation focuses on tensing and relaxing groups of muscles in a systematic way to increase mindfulness and produce feelings of calm. Better yet, Kegel exercises can be incorporated into PMR for an added benefit.
Treatment Of Global Polyuria
Global polyuria due to excessive fluid intake can be managed with fluid restriction. There is no health benefit in drinking excessive volumes of fluid beyond the bodys requirements. Metabolic conditions such as poorly controlled diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus benefit from further treatment by an Endocrinologist.
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