Adult Bed Wetting Could Be Caused By A More Dangerous Condition
When we think of people urinating in bed we usually visualize small children learning to use the bathroom or much older people who are unable to control themselves. There are, however, a good number of otherwise healthy adults who suffer with this condition.
People who suffer from nocturnal enuresis, or adult bed wetting, are often too ashamed to even inform their doctor about this problem. Unfortunately, these people could be helped if only they spoke to a medical professional.
Adult bed wetting, or adult nocturnal enuresis, is a condition which plagues many men and women of all ages and from all walks of life. Strictly speaking adult bed wetting occurs when an adult cannot control his or her bladder overnight and ends up urinating in the bed. This loss of bladder control in bed may or may not actually wake the person from sleep.
Adults who suffer from bed wetting issues are usually said to suffer from one of two different kinds of adult bed wetting. Some adults suffer from nocturnal enuresis their entire lives, while some only suffer at certain times or after engaging in certain behaviors.
PNE (primary nocturnal enuresis) sufferers are people who have had bed wetting issues throughout most of their mature life. These times of bed wetting may vary from frequent to infrequent but have affected the person over a number of years beyond early childhood. PNE often, but not always, leads the individual to suffer from psychological and self-esteem issues if not treated by a medical specialist. Sometimes physical ailments are the root cause for bed wetting in adults who have been doing it all their lives.
SNE (secondary nocturnal enuresis) is defined as bed wetting which begins as teen or adult often years of not having any such bed wetting problems. Secondary nocturnal enuresis is sometimes referred to as adult onset enuresis.
Many times adults who begin wetting the bed later in life unknowingly contribute to their own problems. Excessive alcohol, caffeine or even drug use could all lead to adult bed wetting. Anxiety can also lead to occasional bed wetting amongst adults who don't normally have a problem sleeping and staying dry through the night.
Talking to your doctor about your bed wetting issues is one way ensure your health. Treatment could be as simple as a few behavioral changes, or you could undergo tests for a more serious condition.
It is estimated that over 4 million American adults suffer from bed wetting. Adult bed wetting can often be the sign of a more dangerous underlying medical condition such as bladder cancer or diabetes, so it is not something to be ignored or treated lightly.