It might be difficult for us to associate bed-wetting with grown adults. Sadly, it is a reality for many. Nocturia or bladder control at night is something a lot of older adults in India struggle with.
Let’s learn more about it, because a senior citizen in your home might be suffering from it in silence.
Your body produces urine in the night that is lesser in quantity but more concentrated. This is the reason why most people don’t need to wake up several times during the night to pee.
You are able to get 6-8 hours of restful night of sleep because your bladder is able to hold that much amount of urine till you wake up the next day.
Sometimes things can go wrong and you wake up several times during the night or even wet your own bed because you are not able to hold it in.
What is nocturia and its types?
Nocturia simply can be defined as a condition that causes you to wake up during the night to urinate.
You might be suffering from one of these types of nocturia:
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Nocturnal polyuria – You may experience an overactive bladder at night time only along with high volumes of urine. Your urine volume during the day might be normal or much lesser because of fluid retention in their legs and feet. Once you lie down and gravity no longer holds the fluid, it re-enters the blood stream and is then filtered by the kidney resulting in the production of urine.
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Nocturnal urinary frequency – You may urinate more frequently or urinate in small amounts. This is because the bladder is not able to fully empty itself and so when you consume fluids, the bladder fills up faster.
Causes of nocturia
There are many reasons you might be suffering from nocturia, bladder incontinence at night or nocturnal urinary frequency. You should consult a doctor to find out yours as soon as possible. A few of these reasons are listed below:
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Certain medications such as diuretics, lithium, excessive levels of vitamin D, etc.
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Drinking too much fluid before bedtime.
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Untreated diabetes.
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Bladder obstruction.
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Sleeping disorders, etc.
Medical treatments for nocturia
Based on your symptoms and diagnosis, your doctor might put you on these medications:
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Anticholinergic medications
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Bumetanide and other such medications to help regulate urine production.
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Desmopressin, etc,
Natural treatments for nocturia
Try these nocturia natural treatments while also seeking treatment from your doctor, follow these tips before you hit hay every night:
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Do not drink water a few hours before you go to sleep.
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Avoid beverages with caffeine and alcohol. Generally, any bladder-irritating fluids or things your bladder hates at night.
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Elevate your legs, or keep your legs raised above your body, when you relax before you go to sleep. This will help your body to accelerate the process of making and releasing urine.
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Practise bladder training to hold your urine for longer amounts of time during the day.
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Make and maintain a time-table to pee during the day and stick to it.
- As for nights, set an alarm to wake up and pee.
Medical treatments for nocturia
Based on your symptoms and diagnosis, your doctor might put you on these medications:
-
Anticholinergic medications
-
Bumetanide and other such medications to help regulate urine production.
-
Desmopressin, etc,
Talk to Your Doctor
If overactive bladder natural treatment is not working for you and you are still facing night time incontinence issues, do not be embarrassed about it, because you are not alone.
Set your shame aside and look for ways to improve your condition. For starters, you can get yourself some incontinence products to help with your night-time bed wetting.
Incontinence products are made for individuals who do not want their life to take a stand still because of bladder incontinence at night. We recommend using overnight adult diapers and incontinence underpads made by Friends. Our 20+ years of experience in manufacturing absorbent products has given us an excellent understanding of your needs.
Friends Overnight Diapers are our most premium product. Users who opt for our overnight diapers never go back to anything else because:
They are engineered to soak leaks for up to 16 hours.
They can take a whopping 1.5 litres of urine, no diaper brand in the Indian market comes even close.
They are anti-odour, anti-bacteria, free of chemicals, and enhanced with aloe vera, jojoba and chamomile extracts to keep your skin free of rashes, irritation and infections.
All our diapers are unisex and come in pant and tape-style variants.
Friends Underpads, can be placed on top of your mattress to protect them from wetness and are suitable for all sexes. They are available in our Classic and Premium range.
With Friends, Azadi Mubarak!
There are many different types of treatment for nocturia and medications for nocturia treatment, there are also diet plans, exercises and lifestyle choices that can ease the symptoms. This is why talking to a doctor become really important. They can prescribe medication that might help you release urine before going to bed to lessen your chances of bed wetting and frequent night time urination.
