Bedwetting as an adult

I have a 22-year-old sister who is still bedwetting. The issue is causing the whole family a lot of worry. I will appreciate your kind intervention.

Mayowa (by SMS)

• Can I drink my urine?

Bedwetting, also referred to as sleep enuresis or urinary incontinence, is a normal occurrence in young children whose bladders are immature and still developing. However, wetting the bed as an adult can be a dreadfully embarrassing condition, but it also often indicates that the sufferer has an underlying illness or untreated medical condition.

There are several medical conditions ranging from bladder diseases, psychological and neurological disorders that can result in an adult wetting the bed. This is why doctors usually recommend some medical examinations such as urine tests, urological and neurological examinations including Ultrasounds to get to the root of the problem. When it comes to treating bedwetting in adults, discovering and treating the underlying cause is the best solution. However, there are lifestyle and medical treatments that have proven to help. Some examples of Life style treatments include: Wearing absorbent underwear at night, protecting your bed with mattress covers, setting an alarm to get up and use the restroom in the middle of the night, voiding your bladder before you go to bed, even if you don’t quite feel the urge to go, scheduling to urinate every one to two hours throughout the day, reduction or cutting out caffeine and alcohol intake as well as setting limitations on the amount of fluid you intake, especially close to bedtime. If all these do not work, a proper medical examination will be the best solution.