Bedwetting - World Class Holistic Homeopathy Treatment
A leak
will sink a ship. Bedwetting – a leak of bladder at night – will sink the mind
of the person. Usually, sleep is one of the best medicines since it supports
and refreshes the body physically and psychologically, but, for bedwetting,
deep sleep happens to be one of the prime causes. Children sleep with dreams of
life that is full of beauty but wake up dirty…bedwetting.
Bedwetting
means “passing of the urine during sleep, involuntarily and unknowingly i.e.,
wetting the bed and clothing”. It is also termed as nocturnal enuresis (night
time urination) in medical terminology. After the age of five, the brain is
expected to develop control over bladder. But, if it does not gain control in
that period, bedwetting results. Bedwetting disturbs the patient psychologically
more than with its symptoms. It is one of the hottest topics, often discussed
among the parents of bedwetting children, but bedwetters never reveal or
discuss them with his/her friends. Even though children are most commonly
affected, sometimes teenagers or adults can also be affected. It is like habit
forming and its incidence usually declines with age.
The
kidney is the body’s main drainage system rather than the bowels since it
eliminates the toxins, chemicals and salts through urine, to purify our blood.
Kidneys dribble urine into the bladder day and night, without any rest or
interruption. Its restless function is absolutely needed for good health.
Bowels can go on strike or perform alteration in its habit like constipation
for 2-3 days or sometimes even more, whereas, even one day strike by the
urinary system will complicate the body’s functioning that day itself. So,
Nature takes care of our body by automatically emptying of the bladder, until
the brain gains control over the bladder.
Bedwetting
is one of the commonest complaints everyone has faced in childhood at one time
or the other. It is not a disease but a symptom. For infants and children below
age 3, involuntary wetting is quite normal. The age at which the bladder gains
control varies with every child. Normally, children stop urinating at night
around 4 years in the case of girls and 5 years in the case of boys. The reason
for this delay in control in boys is less understood. Bedwetting affects up to
50-55 per cent of 5- to 6-year-old children, 25-30 per cent of 7 to 8-year-old
children, and 15-20 per cent of 9- to 12-year-old children, 1-2 per cent of
teenagers and rarely adults.
Pathophysiology
The
bladder acts as a reservoir and maintains continence till a situation favours passing
of the urine. The bladder is situated between the pubic bone and uterus in the
case of women and between the pubic bone and seminal glands and rectum in case
of men. Its capacity varies from 250 ml to 700 ml with age difference. The
brain takes control and inhibits auto emptying, according to the situation,
place and timing. Daytime control is first attained followed by nighttime
control. After gaining brain control, we can advance or postpone it.
Urination
is a complex process, with the correlation of two sphincters (valves). Action
of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves is necessary, to correlate this
urination process. For example, sympathetic nerves contract sphincters and
relax the bladder for storage of urine, whereas the parasympathetic nerves
relax the sphincter and contract the bladder for emptying. The main nerve
supply for the bladder is from sacrum, so any injury to the sacrum, by a fall
or surgery, will interfere or reflect in the process of urination. In the case
of children, if the bladder gets filled up, pressure over the stretch
receptors, on the walls of the bladder, will induce parasympathetic fibres to
empty the bladder automatically, as a reflex action.
Types of
bedwedding – There are two types of bedwetting.
1) Primary
enuresis – Here, no known causative factor can be identified and the child is
continuously wets the bed at nighttime from birth. In this primary enuresis,
the child is capable of holding the urine in the daytime. This type is usually
hereditary.
2) Secondary
enuresis – Appears in children after some period of normal control, due to any
cause noticed or related. Here children often develop symptoms, particularly
after anxiety, fear or neurological disorders. In this type, uncontrolled urine
will be noticed in both day and night, so it is called diurnal enuresis.
Causes
In
children
Sex –
Boys are more commonly affected than girls.
Physical
constitution – Flabby children are more commonly affected.
Growth –
Retarded growth, immaturity of bladder or nervous system can cause bedwetting
Habits –
Children having habits of thumb-sucking, nail-biting, attention deficient
disorders are also common sufferers
Sleep
disorders – Very deep sleep can also lead to bedwetting, since the person is
unaware of a full bladder and the bladder works automatically. These children
seem to be dry when they sleep at a friend’s or a relative’s house due to their
anxiousness and light sleep.
Psychological –
Fear, weeping in day, nightmares, worries, anxiety, stress, insecure feeling
can also lead to bedwetting
Nervous
disorders – Injury or disease of the nervous system or spinal column (for
example – tabes dorsalis) can lead to bedwetting
Infections –
Urinary tract infections cause bladder irritation, urgency and bedwetting
Environmental –
Rainy weather and air-conditioned room can influence bedwetting.
Additional
factors which can also influence bedwetting are
·
Increased intake of fluid, which increases the urine output.
·
Using diapers.
·
Constipation
·
Poor nutrition
Associated
disease or disorders
·
Bladder – Small bladder can also cause bedwetting, where the child cannot hold much
urine. Other reasons related to bladder are cystitis, trauma and surgical
intervention
·
Brain and spinal column – Cerebral palsy
neurological
disorders like epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, paralysis, paraplegia, autism,
cerebral lesion and cerebellar lesion can also cause bedwetting, with loss of
sensation of full bladder
In the
case of adult
The
habit is more common among males than females where they suffer from diabetes
or neuralgic tremors or cerebral palsy or prostatitis. In the case of females,
it is commonly found as spurt – while coughing the bladder cannot control the
increased pressure of abdomen. In women, it can also be seen after delivery
i.e., due to trauma.
In the
aged
Prostate, diabetes, hypertension, paralysis,
other neurological problems can cause incontinence or bedwetting. Fatigue,
worries, overwork, stress and strain can precipitate bedwetting. Operations
(prostate or abdomen operation), pelvic fracture, malignancy of bladder or
prostate can also cause bedwetting.
Urination
in sleep is the one and only symptom. The other accompanying or associated
symptoms are screaming, rolling in bed, grinding the teeth, urgency for
urination, worm’s infestations, urinary tract infections, adenoids, nose block,
bronchitis, sleep disorders, hyperactivity and constipation.
Effects
of bedwetting
Any
child who wets the bed does not do it on purpose. But, the child will receive
curses or scolding or punishment for that incidence. These incidences usually
make a bedwetting child suffer silently. The main effects of bedwetting are
shyness, shame, guilty feeling, and being afraid of being teased by friends and
relatives. Usually, children never bother about it till the parents scold them,
but later they realize the condition and feel ashamed. They mostly do not like
to travel to outstations which may hinder their future life setting behaviours.
Diagnosis
and investigations
Diagnosis
can be made with the history of the patient and investigations. Usually, nobody
does any investigation for this complaint. But it should be analysed properly.
The important checklists are
·
Routine urine analysis – to rule out any kidney involvement.
·
Check bowel habits – since fecal impaction, due to constipation may not
allow bladder, to expand more for holding much urine. Also, rule out worms
infestations.
·
Consult E N T doctor to rule out and treat adenoids, tonsils and
bronchitis.
·
Ultra sound scan – to rule out urine retention, small bladder or any other
pathology.
Preventive
measures
·
Milk at bedtime.
·
Excess water, two hours before sleep.
·
Air-conditioned room.
·
Using diapers for children after the age of 2, which may arrest or delay
the habit development of using toilets.
Build
habits of
·
Urinating before going to bed.
·
Regular bowel movement.
·
Waking up at a regular time with alarm.
·
Taking diets of greens and vegetables which are rich in vitamins, zinc and
magnesium.
·
Exercising the bladder, by holding and controlling while having urgency of
urine with confidence or will power.
Expected parental care for bedwetters
Proper
parental care is very much essential, since the attitude of the parents further
complicates the condition. The parents should realize that the children
are not aware of urination while sleeping. Support and reassurance is
important, rather than blaming and punishing.
·
Don’t be angry with children since they do not even know what they are
doing.
·
Avoid beating or punishing or scolding the children which may worsen the
condition.
·
Encourage the children with positive words and rewards to get out of this
habit.
·
Don’t reveal the complaint to any relatives or friends, or otherwise the
children may feel guilty and ashamed or get teased by them.
·
Make the children realize about difficulties of washing and bed making.
Treatments for bedwetting
Bedwetting in children, below the age of 7 needs no
treatment. Bedwetting tends to go away by itself. In Allopathy, treatment is
mostly conservative and habit training. Children usually outgrow bedwetting as
age advances, without any treatment. The start of treatment mostly depends on
the age and attitude of the child, parent and doctor. If any organic cause has
been found, treatment is mainly focused on it or otherwise on habit
development. Habit formation can be enhanced with alarms (vibratory or buzzing
or moisture alarms). If these things also go in vain, medicines are given to
manage the situation.
Medicines
In absolutely serious conditions, Allopathy
uses two types of drugs for controlling bedwetting. One type controls urine
formation and another one relaxed the bladder for holding more urine and also
for lowering the depth of sleep, fear, anxiety and screaming. To put it simply,
they make the kidneys function less at night or make the bladder relax to hold
more urine. Both have their own disadvantages and side-effects which include
drowsiness, headache, restlessness, nervousness and constipation.
Drugging
the children is dangerous. Also controlling the urine production in the
kidney and relaxing the bladder will not give a permanent solution and also it
will have side-effects in future. Allopathy works against the disease. In the
case of bedwetting, mostly no disease can be noticed or found. So the treatment
with Allopathic drugs is questionable. But in Homeopathy, we treat the symptoms
of patients rather than the disease or its effects. Homeopathy works by
strengthening the child’s bladder and nervous mechanism for proper functioning.
Homeopathy acts neurologically, helping the brain to gain control, so it can
give better improvement and permanent solution. It gives neurological and
psychological support to withstand urine for a normal period.
Homeopathy,
with its dynamic approach, can cure bedwetting wonderfully. Bedwetting is
totally a treatable condition. First of all a major credit point with
Homeopathy is – No side-effects, Secondly – it is sweet and convenient, at all
the times and for all ages. Lastly – it not only relieves the condition, but
also cures the condition without any persistent usage of drugs or dependency or
habit formation.
for new hope
Dr. S. Chidambaranathan,
BHMS, MD (Homeo)
Laxmi Homeo Clinic
24 E. New Mahalipatti Road
Madurai, TN 625 001
India
Tel: +91-984-319-1011 (Mob / Whatsapp)
Clinic : +91-452-233-8833 |
E-mail: drcheena@gmail.com
(Disclaimer - The
contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content is not
intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or
treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for any health
problem or medical condition.)