Nocturia or frequent
urination at night is a condition in which a person needs to urinate frequently
during the night. The patient feels the fullness of the urinary bladder and
wakes up for going to the washroom. It may happen due to different medical or
psychological reasons. The frequent changes in between the duration of
urination gaps with the weather change cannot be labeled as Nocturia. Usually,
the urine output increases during the winter season because of less sweating.
Excessive urination due to decreased sweating is not a sign of Nocturia.
Causes
of Nocturia or Excessive urination at night
There may be different
causes of excessive urination at night. Some of the known causes are given in
the subsequent bullet points; however, the right reason can be sought out with
proper evaluation and laboratory investigation. A scan of the urinary and
genital system can also be advised by the physician. A physician is a person
who can give a better opinion about Nocturia.
·
The enlargement of
prostate glands is one of the common causes of excessive urination during the
night.
·
Excessive caffeine
intake also increases the urine output and causes frequent urination at night.
·
Diabetic patients also
feel the fullness of the bladder while asleep.
·
Drinking plenty of
fluids before sleeping also increases urine output but this condition is not
included in Nocturia.
Complications
caused by Nocturia
Nocturia is also a
cause of sleep apnea. The numbers of cases with frequent urination at night
have been reported between the ages of 55 to 84 years. In this age group,
enlargement of prostate glands and diabetes suffer Nocturia. The symptoms also
exist during the daytime but the sufferer may no notice. However, frequent
awakening during the night makes the individual realize about abnormal urge to
urinate. The major complication of Nocturia is sleep deprivation followed by
other symptoms of sleep disorders. Disturbance in the sleep pattern affects
different body systems causing sleep disorders related systems like anxiety and
hypertension etc.
Treatment of Nocturia
The treatment is based
on the cause of frequent urination at night. The concerned doctor must be
consulted on immediate after developing the symptoms. In some cases, surgical
intervention may be recommended for the diagnosed cases of enlarged prostate
glands. Diabetic patients are treated with medications to control blood sugar
levels. The controlled sugar level is helpful to minimize the effects of
Nocturia. The treatment of other causes of Nocturia is symptomatic. Changing
habits is helpful to overcome this problem.
Remedial measures to
accommodate and live with Nocturia
Sleep deprivation is a
very serious drawback of excessive urination at night. Some measures can reduce
the effects of this health issue until proper diagnosis and treatment. The
following remedial measures can be helpful to decrease the excessive urination
at night.
·
Avoid taking too much
coffee or tea in the evening and night.
·
Water is very
important for good health and the basic need of life. The patients with
frequent nocturnal urination should take more fluids in the early hours.
Possibly stop drinking fluids two hours before going to bed.
