Home Remedies For Enuresis (Bedwetting)

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The information provided
on this site is for informational
purposes only
and is not intended as a substitute for advice from
your health care provider.

ENURESIS (BEDWETTING)

Bed-Wetting in Children

For most children who wet the bed there is no need for medical intervention - as there are usually no physiological problems. However, for both the child and their parents it is inconvenient. It is uncomfortable for the child to be wet and cold and to have their sleep interrupted - it can also be embarrassing if the child wants to spend the night with a friend. There is also the extra laundry that needs to be done.

Common causes of bed-wetting

There are several common causes of bed-wetting and more than one may apply in any given case. They include the child:

- being very deeply asleep when they have a full bladder during the night.
- having drinks, quite juicy fruit or cold food before going to bed.
- taking in too many stimulants such as cola and chocolate - especially in the - evening or before going to bed.
- having urinary tract or vaginal infections.
- being cold during the night.
- having weak kidney or bladder tone.
- not going to the toilet to empty their bladder before going to bed.
- experiencing psychological factors related to such things as moving house, - changing schools, a new baby or just being tired.
- having food allergies and intolerances.
- being nutritionally deficient - especially in magnesium, calcium and silicon.

Food allergies and other allergic triggers are very common in children who wet the bed. They often have other allergic symptoms and problems such as asthma, eczema and hyperactivity. Often they will be hot and sweaty at night as allergens tend to over stimulate the nervous system - including the nerves that control bladder function.

What you can do to help

There are many positive things that you can do to minimize and potentially eliminate your child's bed wetting. Many of these causes of wetting the bed can be prevented.

Monitor your child's nightly eating and drinking patters. Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids early in the day and discourage any after about 5 pm. Check that they go to the toilet before bed and have plenty of bed clothes in cold weather. Keep your child's lower back and abdomen warm by having them wear a cotton undershirt and teaching them to keep this tucked in. However, if they have allergies don't overheat them. Basically, use the causes that are outlined above as a guide to try and see what the underlying problems might be.

The following are the symptoms of a urinary tract infection: constant urge to pass urine, painful, burning sensation when passing urine, fever, dull backache, and cloudy or blood stained urine. For further information on urinary tract infections and their treatment consult the Herb-Health-Guide.com/urinary-system.htm. This information is also primarily geared to adults and adjustments will need to be made when considering children - but the basis of the information is essentially the same for adults or children. When dealing with children it is wise to consult a trusted health care professional when you become aware of the signs and symptoms mentioned above. For preference, consult a naturopathic doctor.

The following are the symptoms of a vaginal infection: dry, red and itchy vulva and a white discharge. For further information on vaginal infections see vaginal thrush at healthy-vitamin-choice.com/female-reproductive.html. This information is also primarily geared to adults and adjustments will need to be made when considering children - but the basis of the information is essentially the same for adults or children. The same advice concerning consulting a professional applies here too.

If allergies are suspected it is important to find out what are the triggers. Common food allergies in children include: eggs, cow's milk and other dairy products, peanuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, chocolate, citrus fruits and juices, food additives and colors. Eliminate the suspect foods from the diet for a few weeks. If it is the cause the problem should be eliminated. If it contributes to the cause, along with other factors, there may or may not be a marked improvement. However, in both cases there will be a heightened response to the food if it is reintroduced.

You can also work on strengthening the bladder. The muscle that we release to allow our urine to flow is called the urethral sphincter. It can be released both voluntarily and involuntarily. This muscle can be strengthened by an exercise. To do this you need to teach your child how to recognize the sphincter muscle by having them stop the flow of urine midstream and then allowing the urine to flow again. Have them practice stopping the flow of urine during the day - so that they can recognize what using the sphincter feels like. When they can feel what using the sphincter feels like they can then practice using this muscle at times other than when they are passing urine. Have your child practice using the sphincter muscle 10 times per day and then increase the number of times that they practice to 50. On each contraction of the muscle they should try to hold the contraction for the count of 5 seconds. Before long the necessary tone and control will be available.

Additionally, here are some recommended herbs for strengthening the urinary system and reducing any anxiety and tension which might be related to bladder control. They are:

1/2 ounce St John's Wort tincture

1/2 ounce kava tincture

1/2 ounce partridgeberry tincture

1/2 ounce schizandra tincture

1/2 ounce bistort tincture.

Combine all the ingredients in an amber glass jar.

Have a child (aged between 5 - 9 years) take 1/2 teaspoon twice daily. For a child aged over 9 years give 1 teaspoon twice daily.

Another herbal mixture is:

1 ounce horsetail tincture

1/2 ounce agrimony tincture

1/2 ounce sweet sumach tincture

Combine all of the ingredients in an amber glass jar.

Have a child (aged between 5 - 9 years) take 1/2 teaspoon twice daily. For a child aged over 9 years give 1 teaspoon twice daily.

It is important to explain what you want your child to do without making the child feel guilty or burdening them with added anxiety over the situation. Scolding, belittling and punishing a child for bed-wetting is never appropriate. Never commit the poor parenting error of comparing the child's behavior unfavorably with that of a sibling. A child who feels in any way rejected because of their bed-wetting or that they must stop in order to be loved and approved may develop lasting problems that are more difficult to deal with.

Dealing with bed-wetting in children over a longer than normal time can be quite exhausting. Use night time ‘nappy pants' - so that you don't have the added burden of extra laundry - while dealing with the problems. Try to relax and not let it get you down. This really is quite a common problem and with the above strategies you can ensure that it doesn't last for too long.

I hope you find the above useful. Remember that this problem is not insurmountable, is nothing to be ashamed of and it will pass.

References

Brewin, L. 2002, Natural Health for Children. ABC Books.
Hoffmann, D. 2000, The New Holistic Herbal. Element Pub.
Mills, S. Y. 1989, The A-Z of Modern Herbalism: A Comprehensive Guide to Practical Herbal Therapy. Thorson.
Romm, A. 2000, Naturally Healthy Babies and Children. Storey Books.
Shaw, N. 2002, Herbalism. Element.

Dr Jenny Tylee is an experienced health professional who is passionate about health and wellbeing. She believes that health is not just absence of disease and seeks to actively promote vitality and wellness through empowering others. She encourages people to improve their health by quit smoking, cleansing their body, taking essential, non contaminated vitamin and mineral supplements (from healthproductssite.com) and many other methods, including herbal remedies. She also owns Healthy Living blog.

Home Remedies

FOR CHILDREN:

Take 1 tea spoon of thyme, add 1 glass of boiling water and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Drink the extract instead of tea. You will get a very good result in about 3 months. Also, you will need to wake your child up 3 times at the same time every night and put him on a potty or send him to a bathroom.

Give your child 1/2 glass water mixed with 1 tea spoon of honey every night before he/she goes to bed. In a few nights you will notice that the bed is dry in the morning.

Wet a piece of cotton in room temperature water, squize it a little bit and rub along the spine, from the neck to the coccyx. Repeat it 5-7 times for a few nights.

Give your child a piece of herring and a piece of bread 1-2 hours before he/she goes to bed.

FOR ADULTS:

Take 1 table spoon of Greater Plaintain, add 1 glass of boiling water, let it sit for 1 hour and filter the extract. Take 1 table spoon of the extract 3-4 times a day 20 minutes before meals.

Take 2 tea spoons of sage, add 2 glasses of boiling water, let it sit for 1 hour and filter it. Drink 1/2 glass of the warm extract 3-4 times a day.

Take 1 table spoon of yarrow, add 1/2 L of boiling water, let it sit for 1 hour and drink 1/3 glass of the extract 3-4 times a day.

Take 1 table spoon of dill seeds, add 1 glass of boiling water and let it sit for 2-3 hours. Drink everything in one gulp after your dinner. The dose for children is 1/3 glass of the extract. Repeat it for a few days. This remedy is very effective for any age.

Adult Bedwetting - Exercise May Help The Problem

Adult bedwetting is as embarrassing to adults as it is to teenagers. No one wants to admit that he/she has a bedwetting problem, but doctors see adults on a daily basis that suffer from enuresis. This is the name given to bed wetting in anyone over the age of five because by that time most children have learned to recognize the signs that they need to get out of bed to use the bathroom. Even at that age, they become very upset by bedwetting, so you can only imagine how anyone with an adult bedwetting problem must feel.

Whether adult bedwetting occurs suddenly or develops gradually, it is something that needs to be checked out by a doctor. It could be a symptom of a disease such as diabetes, a sleep disorder, an infection in the urinary system or even an allergy. Once the doctor runs the necessary tests, he/she may send you to a urologist as a precautionary measure. During this time, you can wear bedwetting diapers to keep dry during the night, especially while you are waiting for the medication to take effect. Adult bed wetting also responds well to enuresis alarms to wake you up in time to go to the bathroom.

Adult bedwetting is often result of aging and the loss of muscle tone in the walls of the bladder. There are exercises you can do to reduce the occurrences of adult enuresis. These include doing such things as squeezing the bladder several times a day. This process helps to strengthen the bladder muscles because you pretend that you are trying to stop urinating. It also works during the day when you go to the bathroom so that you are actually stopping the flow. This is one method of exercise that adults suffering from nocturnal enuresis have found effective.

If your adult bedwetting occurs occasionally, you should start a diary recording the events surrounding the bed wetting episodes. This should include such things as how much you had to drink before you went to bed and what foods you ate. Drinking too much alcohol is often responsible for adult bed wetting because it puts you into a deep sleep. Since alcohol impairs brain function, the connection between the brain and the bladder is severed so bed wetting is more likely.

One factor to look at as a cause of adult bedwetting is the psychological factor. Stress and trauma can bring on bedwetting in an adult who did not even wet the bed as a child. This is where keeping a diary of events leading up to the adult enuresis episodes can help you determine what is causing them. Once you realize a pattern in stressful events and adult bedwetting, then you can take steps to avoid certain things that bring it on.

Find out more about Bedwetting, visit Peter's Website Bedwetting Answers and find out about Adult Bedwetting, and more, including Bedwetting Alarms and Bedwetting Diapers

Need Some Solutions To Adult Bed Wetting?

Adults who suffer bedwetting must immediately seek help from a doctor. Any general practitioner can help the adult overcome his bedwetting. But, not all doctors have the right attitude towards adult bedwetting. If, after initial consultation, the doctor will just shrugged and tell the patient that this bedwetting will eventually go away, then this doctor is most likely incapable of helping the adult deal with bedwetting. The patient must locate a doctor who can give satisfactory and informative answers.

An adult suffering from bedwetting must persevere in finding the right health professional because his type of enuresis has an 80% probability of being cured, if not significantly improved. And to help the treatment being administered by the doctor, an adult must also do his share. Here are some of the ways an adult can do to help himself:

· A bedwetting adult must go to the toilet before going to bed. Even though the adult feels no compulsion to go to the toilet, he must still go and attempt to empty his bladder. Such will lessen the volume of urine that will accumulate during the night.

· A bedwetting adult must restrain himself from drinking lots of water or any beverage or any source of fluids (like soup) at least six hours before going to sleep. He may also experiment how many glasses of water is safe for him to drink. For example, if drinking four glasses of water still leads to bedwetting, he may need to reduce it to three glasses. If no more bedwetting occurs, then three glasses of water is the safe volume.

· A bedwetting adult must abstain from drinking any source of caffeine such as tea and coffee. Caffeine is a diuretic. A diuretic is any substance that can stimulate the flow of urine. Cranberry juice is also a diuretic. Some drugs induce diuresis. If the adult is taking any drugs, he must check with his doctor if any of them is diuretic.

· A bedwetting adult must avoid drinking anything that contains alcohol. Obviously, he should not get drunk and then fall asleep. Alcohol considerably reduces a person's mental alertness. As a result, his reflexes has been dulled and could not immediately get up and rush to the toilet when he hears the call of nature. Alcohol is also a mild diuretic.

· If the bedwetting adult is not an insomniac, he may have a loud alarm clock set to wake him up in the middle of the night. Once he is awake, he must go to the toilet and empty his bladder. This method preempts the bedwetting. It takes effort, but it is certainly better than smelly sheets.

· If the bedwetting of the adult is mild and does not literally floods the bed, he may opt to wear adult diapers. This will not stop bedwetting, but it will at least eliminate other problems related to bedwetting.

Adult bed wetting can be an awkward issue to deal with. http://www.bed-wetting.info has information on bed wetting causes and treatments today.

More Information On Bedwetting

HEALTH TIP

Limit your child's drinks 4 hours before he goes to bed. Wake your child up in 2-3 hours after he/she goes to bed and let him go to a bathroom. He should wake up completely.

Warning: You can wake your child up only if he/she is 7 or older and only after a doctor's consultation. It is not recommended to wake up little children.

You should see a doctor if your child is older than 4 and has a wet bed more than once in 21 days

BEAUTY TIP

BedWetting Tips: What About Traveling?

You’ve been around the block a few times with this whole enuresis thing if your child has been at it for a few years. You’ve got the drill down cold – taking care of the laundry, protecting your child’s skin, protecting your mattress, steering this sleepy child to the bathroom for one last pee. That is, you’ve got the drill down cold… at home. What about if you had to take this show on the road? The very thought might strike fear in your heart. You might be tempted to stay home until your child either outgrows this challenge – or leaves home and can take care of it without you.

You could do that, but your family would really miss out on some incredible memories – some time together that’s impossible to replace if you let it slip past you.

With a few handy tips, you can take the show on the road – and not leave a path of pee destruction in your wake. It just takes some advanced planning, some advice from someone who’s traveled that road before you. Fasten your seat belts, and let’s go!

**Plan ahead! If you’re staying at a hotel, reserve a roll-away bed for your room. Many hotels provide a roll-away for free – some charge a nominal fee. You won’t have to worry about ruining a full-sized or (gasp!) king-sized mattress. You’ll also enjoy a more peaceful vacation, because the kids won’t spend the whole time fighting about who’s got to share a bed with the one who wets. Of course, they’ll find tons of other things to fight about… but at least not this issue.

**Make a quick stop before you settle in – or even better, shop before you leave home. Pick up a good plastic mattress cover and remake the bed before you even unpack. Your roll-away bed is probably a twin size, or a little smaller – so a twin mattress cover will do nicely. You can probably pick one up for $5 or less, but you’ll get a hundred times that much back in peace of mind. You’ll know that even if your child floods the bed, the mattress will be protected – and you won’t end up paying for damage. Same thing if you’re visiting relatives. The last thing you’d want to do is damage their mattress. This little piece of plastic will put everyone’s mind at ease.

**If your child will be sleeping in a sleeping bag, you may have some luck with a waterproof sleeping bag liner. You can get a set of four for less than $20 that are made of mylar (like the balloon). Slip one into a sleeping bag, and even if your child has an accident, the sleeping bag and everything around it will stay dry. Just wash the liner and lay it out to dry the next morning.

**Don’t forget your first line of defense – protective underwear (GoodNites or some other brand of pull-ups). Nobody even has to know your child is wearing pull-ups. Just have him or her wear boxers or shorts on top of them, and maybe some sweatpants if it’s cold. This allows for protection and dignity all wrapped up in one clever tip.

**Even if you don’t usually do this at home, during a trip away from home, be sure to have your child visit the bathroom several times before bedtime. Paired with the benefit of sleeping in a strange place (which somehow magically seems to help kids stay dry – does this mean we should just move every other night or so?!), you may get really lucky. They may fight and fuss, but it’s a sure bet you’ll hear tinkling and flushing – in spite of all the protests of, “I just went!”

Will these tips make your trip around the world or just to Grandma’s a piece of cake? Probably not – half the thrill of travel is all the unexpected things that happen, after all. Traveling with kids is always an adventure. But it’s worth it. You’ll be amazed at how your family will talk about these treks long after you get back home. You may find that some of your happiest memories as a family were about your time on the road. Come on! Be brave. Be prepared. And have a wonderful trip. Send a postcard!

Susan Lewis is the owner of Bedwetting Help for Moms – a site aimed at encouraging, supporting, and educating parents of bedwetters. Request your copy of the free report “Got a Bedwetter? Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid.” Ask your bedwetting questions by visiting To Pee or Not To Pee.

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