Understanding Bed Wetting

Bed wetting is a condition wherein an individual can't seem to control urinating especially when asleep. Known as nocturnal enuresis in medical terms, bed wetting usually affects kids during their developmental stages. The condition can also sometimes be seen in teenagers and will usually fade away in time. It can also be a problem that may affect older people who may have bladder problems or poor bladder control as a result of other conditions.

Common Causes
Bed wetting can be caused by a variety of things. The condition may commonly be caused by one or more factors. One of the more common causes involves the delay in the development of the ability to control their bladders. This is usually common among kids who seem to experience delays on their ability to control their bladders. This usually is not related other developmental problems and seem to occur commonly in children.

Another known cause of bed wetting may be related to genetics. Kids who have parents who experienced bed wetting while they were young also have greater chances of developing the same condition. Research has shown that there are certain genes associated with bed wetting and may be passed on to kids from their parents. Kids with parents who had enuresis when they were young are 77 percent more likely to develop the condition as compared to 15 percent for kids with parents who never experienced bed wetting.

Disease and Infection
Although genetics and developmental delays are two of the most common causes of bed wetting, doctors are not as fast to rule out other possible causes that may also be considered as serious. Poor control of the bladder can be due to certain infections in the urinary tract.

Physical Abnormalities
Sometimes bed wetting may be a result of certain physical abnormalities such as a smaller than normal bladder. This usually leads to lesser bladder capacity than may contribute to bed wetting in some people when they sleep at night. There are times when the body produces insufficient anti-diuretic hormone. This is especially more common in kids. The anti-diuretic hormone usually increases its production during nighttime, signaling the kidneys to produce less urine. This process usually is developed at around the age of ten.

Psychological Issues
There are times when the root cause of bed wetting may be psychological in nature. Extreme stress may be a factor in some people experiencing enuresis. Certain psychological disorders may also have enuresis as one of their symptoms. There are also studies that have found that people with certain mental handicaps also have a higher rate of bed wetting problems.

Other Factors
There are many other factors that may cause bed wetting in some people. Chronic constipation is one of them. There are times when pressure is exerted on the bladder at times when the bowels are full which can lead to enuresis. Alcohol and caffeine consumption may also cause bed wetting since they can help increase urine production when taken.