Adult Bed Wetting May Be A Sign Of A More Dangerous Condition   by Jane Miller

in Health / Diseases and Conditions    (submitted 2011-05-26)

When we think of people wetting the bed we usually think about small children learning to use the bathroom or very aged people who are unable to control their bladders. Surprisingly a good number of otherwise healthy middle-aged adults suffer from adult nocturnal enuresis. Healthy people who suffer from urination during sleep are often too embarrassed to tell their doctor about this problem. Sadly, these adults could probably be helped if they spoke to a qualified doctor.

It is not only elderly adults who suffer from unwanted bed wetting. This medical condition also affects healthy and strong younger adults and even teenagers who have no other health concerns. Incontinence during the day can be a problem with many people older people, unwanted urination while sleeping seems to affect people from all backgrounds and ages.

Some men and women have grown up wetting the bed all their lives, while some men and women later begin to suffer from a bed wetting problem after spending decades with no problems at all. Not all men and women have the same kinds of bed wetting problems. There are two main kinds of nocturnal enuresis - primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) and secondary nocturnal enuresis (SNE) and the symptoms and treatments vary for each kind. Each type of bed wetting has a chance of being treated with medicines designed to help mature people who have issues with dry sleep at night. This seemingly random occurrence of wetting the bed can be frightening at first.

Often adults who suffer from PNE are genetically disposed to having bladder control problems at night. Genes can play a big part in an adult's issues with night time bed wetting. Bed wetters throughout the years of their lives are could also have medical problems called by physical injuries that are causing their nocturnal enuresis. Adults who have wet the bed all their lives are said to suffer from primary nocturnal enuresis.

Another type of enuresis can sometimes be caused by stress, excessive alcohol consumption before sleep or a physical malady that developed later in life. Random occurrences of bed wetting are usually attributed to secondary nocturnal enuresis, which is also referred to as adult onset bed wetting. This type of night time urination problem is called secondary nocturnal enuresis and it is the phrase used to denote adults who being having bed wetting issues later in life.

It's estimated that 4.1 million men and women suffer from some sort of nocturnal enuresis. Wetting the bed can usually be the sign of a more serious physical or psychological condition. Though it's an confusing problem for millions of people, it's important to not forget that wetting the bed is a symptom of something and not an actual illness unto itself.

Obviously, the best way to prevent these night time urination issues is to visit a doctor who can help figure out the root cause of your bed wetting problems. It can be the sign of a dangerous medical problem, so don't delay!

About the Author

Jane Miller is a retired doctor with over 40 years of research and instructional experience. She is now a freelance writer who is writes about health topics such as RLS (restless leg syndrome), adult bed wetting, and various sleep issues associated with aging and the elderly.