Having A Problem With Peeing Yourself Is Far From Rare
You might feel like youre the only one wondering why you pee yourself sometimes, but the statistics prove that its a much more common issue than many think. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey, over 50% of women and about 14% of men in America reported some form of unwanted urine leakage, with most being over the age of 65.1
That means that millions of Americans are dealing with the same problem! You might be wondering why women are more likely to be asking why do I keep peeing myself than men. Factors such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and simple anatomy can all contribute to a weakening of the muscles that support the bladder.
Reasons Why You Might Suddenly Start Wetting Yourself
Ever laughed or sneezed so hard that a little bit of urine trickled out? Or had such a big need to go that you couldnt keep it in?
There are a number of causes of urinary incontinence for example pressure on the bladder, damage to the pelvic floor muscles, or an overfull bladder and its a much more common condition than one might think.
Its important that you disclose it to your doctor if it starts happening suddenly, or frequently enough to affect the quality of your life.
Here are the main underlying causes that may cause sudden urinary incontinence:
1. Neurological disorders
Nerve signals from the bladder to the brain are vital in controlling the urge to urinate. When these signals are compromised, it can cause sudden urinary incontinence. Conditions that may affect the nerves include neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, a stroke, injury of the spine or a brain injury.
2. Blockage of the urinary tract
Any obstruction of the urinary tract may interfere with the normal flow of urine, causing the bladder to overflow. Obstructions of the urinary tract, like urinary or kidney stones, can develop over time. When the flow of urine is disturbed, infections can occur. You will usually experience other symptoms such as a dull ache near your kidney area, but its possible that you may not feel anything for some time.
3. Prostate cancer
4. An enlarged prostate gland
5. The use of certain medications
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What To Do Now
If this has happened to you, you should know that you are not alone. Many people go through this experience without it becoming a recurring problem.
If it only happens once and does not occur again, don’t worry about it. It was a one-time thing, and there are thousands of other people who have experienced the same thing.
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Night Time Incontinence And Alcoholism
Due to the large volume of alcohol that an addict consumes, bedwetting is something that is common in this population, but on its own, its not necessarily an indicator that you are an alcoholic.
Many of the people who experience this arent alcoholics, theyve just had too much to drink on one occasion or have had a particularly disturbed sleep cycle with a full bladder and become temporarily confused, explains Dr McGrattan.
Binge drinking is harmful, its better to spread the units through the week and have a couple of alcohol free days too.
However, any actions that you dont remember or cant control while youre under the influence of alcohol can be very disconcerting and, if it happens regularly, it might lead you to consider whether you have a problem. In this case its definitely worth looking at your alcohol intake and habits.
Its certainly a warning sign that you need to cut down your alcohol intake,’ says Dr McGrattan. ‘The guidelines for safe limits of alcohol are 14 units per week for men and women and its important that this isnt drunk all in one go. Binge drinking is harmful, its better to spread the units through the week and have a couple of alcohol free days too.
What Parents Should Know About Bedwetting
Jennifer Kirk, MSN, CPNP, a nurse practitioner in the Division of Urology at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia , works with dozens of families every year to help children overcome bedwetting.
Her first piece of advice is to recognize how common bedwetting is, and that most children naturally outgrow it. Experts estimate that 15 to 20 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 7 wet their beds at least occasionally. The numbers drop steadily as children age, down to about 2 percent at age 16. About 15 percent of children who wet the bed will become dry every year, says Kirk.
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What Is Nocturnal Enuresis
Nocturnal Enuresis means wetting the bed. Many people wet the bed at night, although few people talk about it. In fact, one person in every 100 may be affected throughout adult life. Most people think that no one else has this problem. Many people never seek help because they are too embarrassed.
Some people wet the bed regularly all their lives. Others grow out of this during childhood but start again later in life. It can even happen if you doze off on a long coach or train journey. The right advice and support can help people who have this problem. Bed wetting can often be cured. It is always worth seeking help even if you feel you have already tried everything.
Bed wetting causes many practical problems, such as constantly having to change wet sheets and bedding. Bed wetting can affect staying away overnight, going on holiday or business trips. Bed wetting can affect sleep patterns and often it causes frustration and exhaustion.
Bedwetting can also affect self-esteem which can put a strain on personal relationships.
How To Use Desmopressin Acetate
For the treatment of diabetes insipidus, take this medication by mouth, usually 2 to 3 times a day or as directed by your doctor.
For the treatment of bedwetting, take this medication by mouth, usually once a day at bedtime. Children should limit the fluids they drink after dinner, especially 1 hour before the desmopressin dose until the next morning, or at least 8 hours after the dose. If your child wakes up during the night, limit the amount that your child drinks.
All patients taking desmopressin, especially children and older adults, must limit drinking of water and other fluids. Consult your doctor for details. If you find that you are drinking more fluids than directed, tell your doctor right away. Your treatment will need to be adjusted.
Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Do not take more desmopressin or take it more often than prescribed.
Take this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day.
Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or if this medication stops working well.
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Why Do I Leak Urine When I Sleep
Nocturnal Enuresis is known to affect 2 in every 100 adults. Although we often associate bedwetting with children, the condition can be a very debilitating condition for adults.
If you have noticed leakage of urine during the night, its likely youve made a frantic google search and thought of the worse. is something that we often associate with children who are bedwetting, so it can be alarming when we experience it as an adult. However, more people than you may think actually start wetting the bed as adults. Ultimately, leaking during sleeping is rarely spoken of. The condition is rarely spoken about, meaning lots of people suffer in silence. If you are an adult and you suffer from bed wetting, you are certainly not alone. However, as the condition is so rarely spoken about, few people are aware of the causes of Nocturnal Enuresis and the available treatment for the condition.
What Can You Do About It
Once you figure out why you’re always getting up to pee before bed, then you can go about… not doing it anymore.
If you’re going out of a habit or anxiousness, both Schulz and Dr Mansberg recommend sitting with the feeling of needing to pee to work towards breaking the habit. Be warned, you might find it a tad uncomfortable for a few weeks, but just as you formed the habit, you can break it.
You can also decrease your fluid intake at night, specifically avoiding caffeine, fizzy drinks and sparkling water.
Finally, some bladder retraining can help you remember what it actually feels like to need to pee – you can try this at work by not getting up every time you feel a twinge, instead waiting to see if the feeling subsides.
Just don’t wait too long, OK?
Have you experienced this? What worked for you? Tell us in the comments.
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Nocturia Is Not Normal
Whatever the cause of your nightly bathroom visits might be, its important to understand that nocturia is not normal regardless of your age. It is a sign of something being off in your body, and its important that you figure out the cause so that you can treat the underlying issue.
Thankfully, there are a number of treatment options available for the various causes of nocturia. Before you know the options, however, you need to know the cause. This is where a urologist can help. A urologist can accurately diagnose the source of your issues and provide treatment options from there.
When Should Call A Doctor If Your Child Is Wetting The Bed
The decision of when to involve your health-care professional is variable and is most commonly based on how the situation is affecting the child, as well as the parents. If the child displays only nighttime wetting without any other symptoms, then the decision about when to seek medical treatment is up to the family.
- It is probably a good time to seek medical help when the child is 5-7 years of age.
- Referral to a specialized enuresis clinic is likely not needed for most children with no other symptoms. This is a reasonable problem for the child’s pediatrician to handle.
A child should be checked without delay for an underlying medical problem if he or she develops any other physical or behavioral symptoms.
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Why You Dont Have To Urinate When You Sleep
The reason why most people arent visiting the bathroom multiple times a night is because our bodies produce less urine when we sleep. In addition to filtering your blood stream, your kidneys are responsible for balancing the amount of water in your bodies. They do this by filtering water back into the body or filtering it out to the bladder to create urine.
These kidney functions are controlled by a part of your brain known as the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus creates a hormone called vasopressin or antidiuretic hormone , which tells your kidneys what to do with the liquid its filtering. When the hypothalamus is activating ADH, your kidneys reabsorb water and keep it running through your system to prevent dehydration. When its deactivated, your kidneys let the water pass and become urine.
When you sleep, your body increases its production of ADH, signaling to your kidneys to keep absorbing and recycling water and preventing the creation of urine. Mostly. Some water does still pass through to the bladder, slowly filling it up. This, along with the suppression of ADH as you wake up is why most people have to urinate first thing in the morning.
However, many people find themselves still having to visit the bathroom in the middle of the night.
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Makes sense, but what doesnt is: why anyone would make themselves get out of a warm bed to sit on a cold toilet seat if they didnt actually need to?
According to Tahnee Schulz, psychologist and Head of Clinical at Lysn, its your brains way of helping you navigate your way through life. Stay with me.
Theres a couple of different ways these patterns we create, like going to bathroom before bed, start to develop associations and then turn into habits we almost feel trapped in, Schulz told Mamamia.
The brain is constantly creating associations to help us get through life its the same as the ritual of going to the toilet at night time. It may have initially been that you heard someone say its important to go to the toilet before bed, perhaps your mum said it, and it became a natural ritual of how you get ready for sleep. Those core behaviours happen in order for your brain to say, its time to go to bed.
At the time when we first started those behaviours, there was some logic behind it and a purpose. For example, your mum mightve started telling you to go to the toilet before bed during a bedwetting period when you were younger. But patterns are like muscles, and the more you work them out, the more demanding or dominant they become. It goes from I should to Imust.
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Why Does My Cat Keep Peeing On My Bed
As a cat owner, you might say that most cats are relatively private when it comes to their bathroom habits. When your lovely, innocent kitten does something so out of character as pee in off limited places, its always a shock.
While its tempting to dismiss cat pee on my bed as an act of defiance, vengeance, or sheer evil, cats pee on a humans bed might be the result of several causes.
Lets look at a few possible reasons:
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Help And Support With Alcohol Abuse
If you are looking for guidance on sensible drinking, cutting down or giving up alcohol, there are a number of organisations that can help you. For additional help and support try one of the following resources:
- Alcoholics Anonymous is a free self-help group.
- For alcohol addiction services in your area visit NHS.UK
- Visit DrinkAware.co.uk for a unit calculator and alcohol advice.
- Drinkline is the national alcohol helpline. Call 0300 123 1110.
: 07-01-2020
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What Causes Bedwetting In Adults While Dreaming
It can be helpful to refresh your knowledge of the urinary system to understand why your body might urinate when you dont want to.
The bladder is simply a muscular storage sack, which holds urine until it is ready to be released into the urethra which is a tube connecting the bladder to the outside of the body.
As the bladder contracts to release the urine, the urinary sphincter relaxes, allowing the urine to exit the body.
This is not a process you have to command your body to do the muscular movements flow together naturally. Unfortunately, this also means that physical or neurological factors can affect the timing of your urination without your awareness.
Look into your family history to learn if you are related to other adults prone to bedwetting at night. Like many things, bedwetting can have a hereditary component and is passed down through the generations naturally. Knowing this in advance can help you understand and anticipate the issue.
Talk With Other Adults Experiencing Bedwetting
It may surprise you that adult bedwetting is a very common occurrence. In fact, this page is the most visited page on the NAFC website. If you live with this condition, we encourage you to sign on to the NAFC Message Boards. Many people on our message boards live with adult bedwetting and its a safe, anonymous place to learn from others. Find out what has worked for them, hear their stories, and, once youre ready, share your own.
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Youre Eating And Drinking Things That Irritate Your Bladder
Your bladder can get irritated, just like you when youre curled up in bed and realize, yup, you need to pee again. Coffee, alcohol, tea, carbonated beverages, spicy foods, citrus fruits, tomato-based products, and chocolate can all lead to bladder irritation, according to the Mayo Clinic, although this definitely doesnt happen to everyone who eats or drinks these things.
The thought is that these foods and drinks acidic, and that irritates the bladder wall, Dr. Matsunaga says. This does not happen to everyone. People with a condition like overactive bladder or interstitial cystitis may be more likely to be affected, Dr. Matsunaga says.
Cause Of Nocturia: High Blood Pressure
According to a 2019 study presented at the annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society, people who woke up at least once per night to use the bathroom were 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure. And those who woke up multiple times each night had an even greater likelihood of it.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that your nightly bathroom visits are a sure-fire sign that you have high blood pressure. But if you have no idea whether your blood pressure is normal or not, you should get it checked. Especially if you’re at risk of hypertension. Many factors can put you at risk a short list includes having diabetes, eating too much sodium and too little potassium, not being physically active, having extra weight, smoking, having a family history of hypertension, and overdrinking alcohol.
If you’re at risk of hypertension and you’re waking up several times a night to urinate, it’s worth discussing with a doctor.
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Why You Wet The Bed After Drinking
The main piece of the puzzle has to do with something called the antidiuretic hormone , says James Ulchaker, M.D., a urologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
When youre sober, ADHs job is to prevent the production of urineit tells your kidneys to conserve water, so you are not peeing out all of your bodys stash.
But when you drink alcohol, the booze actually suppresses the release of ADH.
The kidneys dont reabsorb water, so when you drink, youre going to make larger amounts of urine, says Dr. Ulchaker.
This effect doesnt exactly quit when you put down the bottle and hit the pillow, either:
Depending on how much and how late you drink, this suppression of ADH can carry into the nighteven when youre sleeping, says Dr. Dasgupta.
That means while youre asleep, your body is producing a whole lot more urine than it normally does when youre sober.
If youre awake, you likely notice this urge and go the bathroom. But if youre dead asleepeven if its been a couple hours since youve been drinkingyou might miss it.
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Alcohol also irritates a certain muscle in your bladder. This makes it contract, which is what happens when you urinate, says Mens Health sleep advisor W. Christopher Winter, M.D.
The contraction is what allows you to peeand its also what lets you know you have to go. Again, if youre asleep , you may miss the signal.
You might also blame your brain.
As a result, you may feel like your dreams are your reality.
