Bedwetting

No matter when or how often it happens, bedwetting causes great distress and embarrassment. It is important to understand that occasional bedwetting is a normal happening in the growing up process, and that medical treatment is available for children who have it too often. Though nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) tends to work itself out over a period of  time (15 per cent a year do grow out of it), the modern consensus among physicians is that leaving chronic bedwetting untreated chips away at a child’s self-esteem and negatively affects social development. Homeopathic medicines for bedwetting help treat the condition naturally and are completely safe for use in children.

What Causes Bedwetting?

Experts do not know what causes bedwetting. Most cases probably result from a mix of factors, including slower physical development, an overproduction of urine at night, a lack of ability to recognise bladder filling when asleep, and, in some cases, anxiety. For many, there is a strong family history of bedwetting, suggesting an inherited factor. Certain inherited genes appear to contribute to incontinence. Danish researchers have found a site on human chromosome 13 that is responsible, at least in part, for night-time wetting. If both parents were bedwetters, a child has an 80 per cent chance of being a bedwetter.

There are a variety of emotional reasons for bedwetting. For example, when a young child begins bedwetting after several months or years of dryness during the night, this may reflect new fears of insecurity. This may follow changes or events, which make the child feel insecure: moving to a new environment, losing a family member or loved one, or especially the arrival of a new baby or child in the home. Sometimes bedwetting occurs after a period of dryness because the child?s original toilet training was too stressful.

Homeopathic Medicines for Bedwetting

Bedwetting can be treated to a large extent with the help of natural homeopathic medicines. Homeopathy medicines for bedwetting work by targeting the underlying cause behind the problem. These medicines for bedwetting are highly individualised and are prescribed according to the symptoms. The top medicines for bedwetting include Equisetum, Causticum, Kreosote, Cina and Benzoic Acid.

1. Equisetum – For Bedwetting In Children Without Any Cause

Equisetum is a medicine used to treat bedwetting where the child has developed a habit of wetting the bed at night during sleep. There is usually no cause behind it. This medicine is also recommended in cases where the child has nightmares and frightful dreams with bedwetting. I use this as my first line of treatment for bedwetting and have found great success with it.

2. Causticum and Sepia – For Bedwetting During First Part of Sleep

Causticum and Sepia are medicines used to treat bedwetting in children who urinate in the first part of sleep, or as soon as they fall asleep.

3. Kreosote – For Bedwetting during Deep Sleep

Kreosote is a medicine used to treat bedwetting where the child passes urine while in a deep sleep, and it is tough to waken the child. High frequency of urination during the day and presence of red or white sediments in the urine are other symptoms.

4. Benzoic Acid – For Bedwetting when Urine Smells Foul

Benzoic Acid is a medicine used to treat bedwetting in cases where the urine has a foul, offensive smell. The urine also tends to leave brown stains on the bed sheet.

5. Cina – For Bedwetting Related to Worms

Cina is a medicine used to treat bedwetting related to worms. Grinding of teeth during sleep, shrieking, crying or being scared during sleep, an irritable or obstinate behavior, rubbing of nostrils are some other symptoms that indicate the need for this medicine.

Managing Bedwetting in Children

In most cases, children outgrow problems of bedwetting with age. If it is a recurring problem in an older child, a physician can help diagnose the underlying cause and discuss the treatment options. If the child is not particularly bothered by the problem of bedwetting, small lifestyle changes like limiting the amount of fluid intake after evening, avoiding caffeine, practicing better toilet habits, etc. can go a long way in managing the problem.

Causes and Risk Factors of Bedwetting

Although a majority of times there is no major detectable cause behind bedwetting, Certain medical conditions can lead to the development of nocturnal enuresis

1. Hormonal Imbalance: A hormonal imbalance during childhood means that some children are unable to produce enough anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), which helps slow down the production of urine.
2. Small bladder: In some children, the urinary bladder is not developed enough, so the child is unable to hold urine at night.3
3. Not recognizing a full bladder: In some children, the nerves that control the urinary bladder mature at a slower rate. This means that the child is not able to recognize that the bladder is full, especially in the case of deep-sleepers.
4. Urinary tract infection: A urinary tract infection makes it difficult for a child to control urination, and bedwetting, frequent urination, pain during urination and reddish-pink urine are symptoms of a UTI.
5. Sleep Apnea: In some cases, bedwetting is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. The latter is a condition in which a person’s breathing gets interrupted during sleep. This happens due to inflamed or enlarged adenoids or tonsils. Snoring and daytime drowsiness are other symptoms of sleep apnea.
6. Diabetes: Bedwetting can be the first sign of diabetes in a child who is not a regular bedwetter. Other signs of diabetes can include passing large amounts of urine at once, increased thirst, fatigue, and weight loss in spite of a good appetite.
7. Constipation: It is a similar set of muscles that control the elimination of both urination and stools. In case of chronic constipation, these muscles can become dysfunctional and lead to bedwetting.

In some rare cases, a child may have a structural abnormality in the urinary tract system or the nervous system. This abnormality can be a cause behind bedwetting.

Risk Factors

1. Bedwetting is twice as common in males as compared to females, although it can affect anyone. Some risk factors associated with bedwetting include:
2. Anxiety and Stress: Bedwetting can sometimes be triggered due to a stressful event like a new sibling, moving places, starting a new school, being away from home, being away from parents, etc.
3. Heredity: Genetics also play a role in passing on this condition from parent to child. If one or both the parents had problems with bedwetting as children, chances of their offspring having the same problem are high.
4. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Children who are diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to be afflicted with bedwetting.

Diagnosing Bedwetting

A physician can recommend certain tests (depending on the symptoms) to identify any underlying medical causes of bedwetting, such as:

1. Urine Tests: A urine test can help look for signs of a urinary tract infection, diabetes or other issues.
2. Physical exam: The physician may inquire about regular habits like diet and fluid intake, family history of the disease, bladder habits, bowel movements and other symptoms associated with bedwetting.
3. X-rays or other Imaging Tests: These tests help take a look at the kidneys and the bladder to analyze any problems with the urinary tract.