Causes and Treatments of Bedwetting in Adults

Adult bedwetting, otherwise known as secondary enuresis, occurs when there is a loss of bladder control during the night resulting in nocturnal enuresis. Although the condition is embarrassing, it should not be ignored as it might be a sign of an underlying condition. Many treatment options are available depending on the type of cause. Some possible factors include diabetes, hormonal imbalances, an enlarged prostate, and sleep apnea. Here are some causes and treatments to be aware of.

6. Causes

Causes of adult bedwetting can be both physical and psychological and may include diabetes, bladder cancer, neurological disorders, side effects of medication, prostate cancer or enlargement, urinary tract infections or urinary tract stones, and obstructive sleep apnea. Other various causes of adult bedwetting may include acute anxiety or emotional disorders, a small bladder size, and constipation. Hormonal imbalances can trigger bedwetting in some people. Many hormonal problems are caused by adrenal or thyroid dysfunction such as in autoimmune thyroid disease, Hashimoto’s disease, and hyperthyroidism.

5. Antidiuretic Hormone

Everyone produces a hormone known as the antidiuretic hormone or ADH, which is responsible for telling the body when to slow down the production of urine at night. This lower volume of urine allows most healthy people to sleep all night or at least a majority of the night without having to get up to use the bathroom. Some people do not make enough of this hormone, which may lead to nocturnal enuresis as their bladders cannot hold high concentrations of urine.

4. Diabetes

Diabetes is one condition that may cause adult bedwetting. People with diabetes do not metabolize glucose properly, which may cause larger amounts of urine. This increased amount of urine makes it harder for adults with diabetes to hold it at night, especially if getting out of bed in time is not always easy. For many people who are eventually diagnosed with diabetes, bedwetting is often their first indication. Seek treatment if bedwetting accompanies any other signs of diabetes such as sores that do not heal, weight loss, and fatigue.

3. Sleep Apnea

According to one study, seven percent of adult patients who have sleep apnea also wet the bed at night. Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and then starts again. Some people with sleep apnea will stop breathing hundreds of times in their sleep without knowing it. In rare cases, sleep apnea will develop into a bedwetting habit as the condition progresses or becomes worse. These patients usually find relief by using continuous airway pressure therapy, which is prescribed by a health professional.

2. Diagnosis

It is important to seek medical treatment once bedwetting first occurs as this may be an acute symptom of an underlying disease. Catching diseases early is the best way to ensure they are fully treatable. A medical professional may conduct a physical examination and ask questions about family history to determine the cause of bedwetting. Other tests that may be performed are urine tests, neurological evaluations, and urologic examinations and tests. Be sure to tell a doctor if bedwetting runs in the family as people with a family history are more likely to develop the condition.

1. Treatment

Because bedwetting is often a cause of an underlying condition, most treatment options seek to determine which disease is responsible. Medications are available to assist with bedwetting. For example, antibiotics may help treat a urinary tract infection that causes loss of bladder control. An irritated bladder can also be treated using anticholinergic drugs. Medications that block the hormone dihydrotestosterone can be used to treat a swollen prostate gland, and the drug eesmopressin acetate reduces levels of an antidiuretic hormone that causes an increased nighttime urine production.