Coping With Teen Bedwetting

Teen bedwetting is a common problem among many, even though those afflicted with the condition may feel isolated and alone. A rough count reveals that as much as one out of every one hundred teens occasionally wets the bed! This problem of not being able to control urination while sleeping is scientifically known as nocturnal enuresis, though in common terms it is dubbed involuntary urination or bedwetting.
Enuresis can again be categorized into two categories: primary enuresis and secondary enuresis. A person with primary nocturnal enuresis has had the habit of wetting the bed since he or she was a baby, whereas in cases of secondary enuresis the problem develops at least several months, or even several years, after the person learned to control his or her bladder as he or she grows from being a baby. In most cases teen bedwetting is a case of secondary enuresis rather than primary.
Next let's try to understand what causes teen bedwetting. Looking into the human anatomy it is known that the urinary bladder is a muscular vessel, or a holding container, for containing urine. As urine enters it expands and gets larger and then contracts and gets smaller to force the urine out.
As a person develops normal bladder control the nerves in the walls of the urinary bladder sends signals to the brain as and when the bladder becomes full. After receiving these signals the brain sends back signals to the bladder to hold the bladder from involuntarily emptying the urine until the person is ready to go to the bathroom. However in cases of people with nocturnal enuresis there lies a problem that causes them to urinate involuntarily at night. The exact cause of nocturnal enuresis or teen bedwetting is not known to doctors, however some facts have been discovered.
One such discovery reveals that hormonal problems do contribute towards nocturnal enuresis, or in the case of this article more specifically teen bedwetting. The hormone ADH makes a person's body generate less urine during the night. However, if the teen’s body does not develop enough ADH this control is not sufficient and hence the amount of urine developed is more and results in teen bedwetting via involuntary urination.
Some teens also have relatively smaller bladders that are not large enough to hold a large volume of urine, which often results in bedwetting as the amount of urine developed at night while the teen is sleeping is more than his or her bladder can hold handle.
The problem of teen bedwetting has also been traced down to genetics. Teens with problems of involuntary nocturnal enuresis often have a history of parents who had the same problem at similar ages. Certain genes can be identified that cause enuresis but the exact reason for teen bedwetting is still unidentified. Sleeping disorders or rather deep sleeping habits have also been identified as reasons for teen bedwetting.
Teen bedwetting can also be related to psychological problems. Family problems, shifting into new schools and social environments, or family tension can result in disturbed sleeping habits and patterns and produce the problem of teen bedwetting. Stress during teenage years can thus be strongly suspected as a cause of secondary enuresis.
Doctors may treat teen bedwetting differently depending upon the cause of it. In cases of illness the specific illness is treated. There also exist several behavioral approaches that are utilized for treatment. Primarily and most importantly, people with nocturnal enuresis are advised to prevent a swarming bladder by reducing the quantity of fluids they drink before going to bed. They are even advised to reduce the chances of wetting the bed by going to the toilet just before going to bed.
Overall it is a combined process of behavioral modifications, reducing mental tension, and in some cases incorporating a very mild medication that can help a person control teen bedwetting.
Copyright © Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.