Nocturnal enuresis Urinating while sleeping

Nocturnal enuresis corresponds to involuntary urination that occurs during sleep, that is, the patient wakes up already urinated.

Despite being generally seen as a mere pediatric symptom, up to 7% of children with this problem end up keeping it during adulthood. It is very common at younger ages (5-7% at 7 years of age), being progressively less frequent in the older age groups.

Nocturnal enuresis can be divided into monosymptomatic (when it is the only and exclusive existing urinary symptom) or associated with diurnal symptoms. When associated with other symptoms, it usually occurs in the context of an overactive bladder.

It can also be divided into primary (when the patient never has a period of 6 months in his life without losing urine during the night) or secondary, when the problem arises after a long period with dry nights.

For nocturnal enuresis to occur, there is usually an imbalance between three fundamental pillars - the production of urine during the night, the capacity of the bladder and sleep (namely the threshold to wake up). Most often, patients who suffer from enuresis have heavy sleep and a low-capacity bladder.

Treatment depends a lot on the patient's context (age, previous unsuccessful therapy, person profile, family context, among others). Include behavioral and pharmacological measures for the treatment of overactive bladder, alarm clock at night or use of alarm briefs, as well as medication to reduce urine production at night (desmopressin).