WETTNG THE BED
from the article "5 Common Sleep Disorders: Disturbing or Dangerous?"
By Laurie Sanchez, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 26, 2011
Reviewed By Edward C. Geehr, M.D
Wetting the bed
When adults soak the sheets, it’s called secondary incontinence. And it’s unnerving.
“A sudden nighttime accident can freak people out,” says Elizabeth Kavaler, M.D., clinical assistant professor of urology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and author of A Seat on the Aisle, Please! (Springer).
But it’s usually not as isolated as it appears. Typically, it’s part of a larger condition known as overactive bladder (OAB).
That’s when the bladder becomes irritable and reactive – usually as part of aging – resulting in a greater and more frequent urge to urinate, Kavaler says.
“When people look back, they realize they’re going to the bathroom more than they used to. Or they’ve been having trouble getting to the restroom on time.”
Some adult bedwetting stems from a urinary tract infection (UTI), but OAB is the more common cause, Kavaler says.
What you can do about it: Make a doctor’s appointment.
If you have a UTI, you’ll be prescribed antibiotics.
If OAB is the cause, there are three approaches to treatment, Kavaler says.
The first course of treatment, behavior modification, involves reducing the amount of liquid you drink, especially bladder irritants such as caffeine and alcohol, and moving consumption to earlier in the day. You’ll also be asked to use the restroom more frequently and on a schedule.
“For bedtime, we might have a patient try to get up one more time in the middle of the night to void,” Kavaler says.
If that doesn’t work, there are nine different anticholinergic medications (such as Detrol), which treat OAB by relaxing bladder muscles.
“That shows how common this is,” Kavaler says.
Medication comes in gels, patches and pills. And about 80% of the people who try them get some degree of relief, she adds.
If you fall into the other 20%, your doctor may suggest invasive surgery to regulate urinary urges.
Common options include surgically implanting a bladder pacemaker, which sends electrical pulses to the nerve that controls bladder function. Botox is a newer treatment for OAB. It works by preventing inappropriate contractions of the bladder muscles.
Check out our Sleep Health Center.
MY THOUGHTS
of all the sleep disorders, i think this is the one that i would hate the most. sounds very uncomfortable. and embarrassing.
from the article "5 Common Sleep Disorders: Disturbing or Dangerous?"
By Laurie Sanchez, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 26, 2011
Reviewed By Edward C. Geehr, M.D
Wetting the bed
When adults soak the sheets, it’s called secondary incontinence. And it’s unnerving.
“A sudden nighttime accident can freak people out,” says Elizabeth Kavaler, M.D., clinical assistant professor of urology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and author of A Seat on the Aisle, Please! (Springer).
But it’s usually not as isolated as it appears. Typically, it’s part of a larger condition known as overactive bladder (OAB).
That’s when the bladder becomes irritable and reactive – usually as part of aging – resulting in a greater and more frequent urge to urinate, Kavaler says.
“When people look back, they realize they’re going to the bathroom more than they used to. Or they’ve been having trouble getting to the restroom on time.”
Some adult bedwetting stems from a urinary tract infection (UTI), but OAB is the more common cause, Kavaler says.
What you can do about it: Make a doctor’s appointment.
If you have a UTI, you’ll be prescribed antibiotics.
If OAB is the cause, there are three approaches to treatment, Kavaler says.
The first course of treatment, behavior modification, involves reducing the amount of liquid you drink, especially bladder irritants such as caffeine and alcohol, and moving consumption to earlier in the day. You’ll also be asked to use the restroom more frequently and on a schedule.
“For bedtime, we might have a patient try to get up one more time in the middle of the night to void,” Kavaler says.
If that doesn’t work, there are nine different anticholinergic medications (such as Detrol), which treat OAB by relaxing bladder muscles.
“That shows how common this is,” Kavaler says.
Medication comes in gels, patches and pills. And about 80% of the people who try them get some degree of relief, she adds.
If you fall into the other 20%, your doctor may suggest invasive surgery to regulate urinary urges.
Common options include surgically implanting a bladder pacemaker, which sends electrical pulses to the nerve that controls bladder function. Botox is a newer treatment for OAB. It works by preventing inappropriate contractions of the bladder muscles.
Check out our Sleep Health Center.
MY THOUGHTS
of all the sleep disorders, i think this is the one that i would hate the most. sounds very uncomfortable. and embarrassing.
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