Diagnosis of nocturnal bed-wetting | Bed-wetting in adults – What is behind it?

Diagnosis of nocturnal bed-wetting

Many affected persons are ashamed to consult a doctor at the beginning. Both the family doctor and the urologist can make the diagnosis. This is usually done solely on the basis of the patient’s story. In addition, various examinations can be scheduled to find the cause and exclude possible physical causes. An official diagnosis can provide relief for the affected person, as the health insurance companies will then also pay for the aids, such as diapers or pads.

Prognosis for nocturnal urination

The probability of an independent regression of the symptoms is rather low in adults. In the case of psychological problems, removing the causes can lead to an improvement, at least temporarily. The only safe solution for anatomical disorders is surgery. Other affected persons are almost always dependent on aids or medication for life. In the case of alcohol-induced bed-wetting, it is advisable to abstain from alcohol, but improvement with age may be possible.

What are the gender differences in night-time urination?

Both men and women can suffer from bedwetting in adulthood. However, some causes are specific to one sex. In women, a relatively common cause of incontinence is weakness of the pelvic floor with bladder dropping after giving birth.

Surgery can help these women if they are under a lot of stress. In older men, a benign enlargement of the prostate, which affects many men, leads to bladder weakness. Affected men often have to go to the toilet and cannot empty it completely.

Regular cystitis can lead to a loss of the feeling for urinating at night. Women are affected by incontinence much more often than men because the pelvic floor is larger and less stable. Mental illness is also somewhat more common in women and represents a risk factor for night-time bed-wetting.

However, women are also more likely and more often to seek medical help, while men tend to feel ashamed and try to ignore the condition. In old age, physical changes lead to increased incontinence in both sexes.