Frequent urination at night (nocturia) is a disorder of the urinary system. This is a condition in which a sleeping person experiences multiple urges to urinate. Doctors consider as a deviation from the norm the number of urges to go to the toilet more than once or twice a night without obvious reasons, for example, an increased amount of alcohol consumed at night, or taking diuretics.
This is not only an unpleasant problem that interferes with sleep and restoration of strength, but also an important symptom indicating a serious pathology of the body. The difficulty of treatment and full recovery lies in the fact that most people do not think about complications, they simply get used to it, adapting to nocturia. Although at the initial stage, almost any disease responds well to treatment.
Causes of frequent urination at night
In a healthy body, all processes slow down as soon as a person goes to sleep. This is due to the need to restore strength and stock up on energy.
The safest causes of frequent night urination are taking diuretics, antispasmodics, drinking alcohol, caffeine and other similar substances. In this case, nocturia is temporary and stops immediately after the cause is eliminated.
Doctors consider the following to be more dangerous development factors:
- Infections and other diseases of the genitourinary system;
- Injuries, surgery (adhesions) on the pelvic organs;
- Congenital and acquired anomalies of the kidneys and other organs of the urinary system;
- Heart failure;
- Diabetes mellitus and other endocrine disorders;
- Slow blood circulation, blood microcirculation in the pelvic area;
- Obstructive apnea;
- Neurological, psychological and mental disorders.
In late pregnancy, women also experience frequent urges to urinate at night. This is due to the pressure of the growing fetus on the bladder. However, gynecologists advise not to neglect the symptom. Perhaps nocturia is caused by other pathologies, and pregnancy only provoked their development.
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Frequent urination in children
Very frequent urination in childhood is called pollakiuria.
To understand whether such a disorder occurs in your child, you should know the norms: how many times a day healthy children should urinate.
The physiological norms of the corresponding indicator depend on the age of the child.
It is believed that in the first half of life a baby urinates up to 25 times a day, at the age of 6 months to a year - up to 17 times, in preschool age - up to 9 times, and in a child over 7 years old, the frequency of urination acts is identical to that of adults.
Pollakiuria of the physiological type is a phenomenon that does not have a pathological nature. It can be caused by drinking too much, taking certain pharmaceuticals and foods with a diuretic effect.
Hypothermia leads to accelerated filtration of urinary fluid due to spasm of the renal vessels. If the child is warmed up, the frequency of urinary acts is normalized.
Stressful conditions and overexcitement of the child can lead to pollakiuria - frequent urge to urinate in this case causes increased production of adrenaline, leading to increased urine production.
Manifestations of physiological pollakiuria do not require treatment. To improve the frequency of urination, it is enough to eliminate the factor that provoked the development of the disorder.
In cases where frequent urination is pathological, it is a sign of disease. Don’t let your child get sick - contact us, such a disorder can be successfully treated in our center.
Types of nocturia
Urologists classify nocturia based on the cause of its occurrence.
Experts also identify the type of development: primary (due to pathologies of the genitourinary system) and secondary (due to problems with other internal systems).
In addition, urologists distinguish types of problems according to duration and course: temporary or permanent. Permanent is further subdivided into uncomplicated and complicated by other diseases.
Medicines
Drug treatment involves a wide range of medications, and its specificity is determined by the type of disease that caused pollakiuria:
- uroantiseptics and antibacterial agents (prescribed for inflammatory processes of the urinary organs);
- insulin (for the treatment of diabetes);
- antispasmodics (relieve pain);
- probiotics (help maintain normal microflora of the body);
- nootropic drugs (prescribed for bladder disorders);
- sedatives (indicated for mental and neurological disorders).
Self-medication is unacceptable - a doctor should prescribe medications and monitor the progress of recovery!
Consequences and complications
The safest consequence for a person suffering from frequent urination at night is lack of sleep and decreased concentration at work due to fatigue. In most cases, it is not possible to fall asleep quickly after going to the restroom, so a person is “robbed” of at least an hour in total from his total sleep time.
Due to urinary disorders, patients experience swelling of the face and limbs. In addition to an aesthetic defect, this brings problems with metabolic processes in the skin.
At night, it is difficult to fully maintain intimate hygiene, especially if the urge to urinate is frequent. Therefore, nocturia sometimes causes the development of urinary tract infections.
Due to problems in the body, the psyche suffers first of all: a person understands that a problem has arisen, but out of delicacy refuses to go to the doctor. For this reason, he becomes nervous, sometimes even aggressive, and depression develops. Insomnia often occurs against the background of nocturia, which further aggravates the problem. The sick person develops chronic fatigue and decreased immunity. There is a risk of developing endocrine disorders and cardiovascular problems.
Features of pathology in women
Frequent urination in women in some cases does not have a pathological nature. It can be caused by drinking too much or taking diuretic medications. A number of drinks loved by the fair sex have a diuretic effect. These include traditional coffee and tea, as well as herbal teas that help reduce weight.
In such situations, frequent urination occurs without pain, and it does not pose a threat to health.
Women going to the toilet at short intervals can be caused by emotional experiences, hypothermia of the legs, as well as a number of processes in the body (menstruation, menopause).
If the corresponding phenomenon is one-time in nature and is not accompanied by other pathological symptoms (pain, bloody inclusions in urine, burning), do not panic. Otherwise, you need someone who can help you cure frequent urination - a doctor.
To do this, we recommend contacting two specialists in women’s and men’s health – a gynecologist and a urologist.
Diagnostics
In modern urology, it is common to measure nocturia by its effect on the patient’s quality of sleep and life. For this purpose, international programs have been developed, including questionnaires. The sick person reads the statements presented and gives a rating from 0 to 5 next to each one - a criterion for the impact on his life.
For example, the patient must determine the following criteria:
- The need to sleep during the day;
- Degree of concentration during working hours and during active rest;
- Work process efficiency;
- Fear of worsening symptoms;
- Fear that they will find out about the problem.
Next, the urologist proceeds to examine the patient. He evaluates its appearance, then proceeds to visual diagnosis of the urethra and genital organs. Already at this stage, a urinary tract infection can be suspected.
Next, the doctor prescribes laboratory tests: urine, blood, and other biological fluids of the patient. During a urological or gynecological examination, smears are taken for microflora, bacterial culture and cytology.
However, a full picture of the state of health can be revealed only after instrumental diagnostics and functional tests:
- HUS (Hours of Uninterrupted Sleep) . The patient, connected to the equipment, falls asleep in the diagnostic room. The equipment determines the interval between the time a person falls asleep and the time he wakes up to urinate.
- Polysomnography . Experts determine the quality of sleep: assess muscle, cardiac and brain activity, and blood oxygen levels. The study is expensive, so it is rarely used. However, its indicators are informative.
- Actiography . Laboratory assistants put a special device on the patient’s hand, reminiscent of a modern smart watch. It records the position and movement of a person, determines the depth of sleep before waking up to go to the toilet.
- Ultrasound of the pelvis . The study reveals possible abnormalities in the structure of the genitourinary system: enlarged prostate gland, proliferation of the endometrium, for example.
- MRI or CT . Indicates the exact localization of the pathological process.
- X-ray with contrast agent . Detects patency of the urinary tract.
Gynecological diseases
Gynecological disorders also cause increased urge. Among them are uterine
fibroids in an advanced stage. Tumor uterine formations, having reached significant parameters, compress the bladder, which causes an increased urge to urinate.
Pollakiuria may appear as a result of uterine prolapse, leading to displacement of a number of organs in the pelvic region, in particular the urinary ones. Symptoms of this pathology are heavy menstrual bleeding, pain in the lower abdomen, and constant frequent urination.
A number of sexually transmitted infectious diseases can also lead to disruption.
Treatment of nocturia
Getting rid of the pathology and its consequences is possible immediately after eliminating the cause. Sometimes the patient adjusts the drinking regime and establishes proper nutrition, and the pathology disappears without a trace.
In more complex situations, urologists work in teams with other highly specialized specialists: cardiologists, endocrinologists, neurologists and psychologists. Doctors prescribe:
- Conservative therapy . With the help of medications and physiotherapeutic techniques, doctors eliminate urinary tract infections and normalize the functioning of the heart and pancreas.
- Radical treatment . It is required if the pathologies that cause frequent night urination do not respond to medications and other methods. For example, when the endometrium or prostate gland grows, the surgeon excises excess tissue and the pressure on the bladder stops. Using the same principle, severely affected tissues of the urinary system are eliminated.
After the treatment, you should definitely undergo a course of psychotherapy, as well as strengthen the body with the help of vitamin complexes and physical therapy. Exercises restore blood circulation in the pelvic organs, so the risk factors for developing nocturia disappear.
Endocrine
Frequent urination of an endocrine nature is a concomitant sign of diseases such as diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.
In the case of diabetes mellitus, a lack of insulin causes an increase in sugar levels in the blood and urine. Glucose has the property of transporting water molecules. When released, glucose dehydrates the body, leading to frequent, excessive urination.
Failure of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, as one of the manifestations of diabetes insipidus, causes a feeling of intense thirst, so urination becomes more frequent.
Prevention
In order not to think in the future what to do if you urinate frequently, it is recommended to take preventive measures. To do this you need:
- adhere to the correct water regime, eat healthy food;
- do not abuse alcohol;
- give up nicotine;
- periodically undergo preventive examinations with doctors, promptly treat identified pathologies;
- monitor the culture of intimate life.
Doctors often encounter patients who come with the complaint: “I often go to urinate.” But many people delay visiting the doctor, aggravating the process. Timely identification of the cause and proper treatment can get rid of this unpleasant symptom, returning you to your previous life.
If, according to a doctor's opinion, a man is diagnosed with prostatitis, then treatment of the prostate gland will be required.
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Features of diet and nutrition
The necessary dietary nutrition will help get rid of the phenomenon of pollakiuria.
The patient is advised to limit fluid intake, eliminate caffeine-containing and carbonated drinks, as well as alcoholic beverages.
You should also not eat spicy foods, pickles and fried foods, which lead to thirst.
You cannot eat tomatoes and pineapples, fatty cheeses, or drink citrus juices. Their consumption negatively affects the health of the urinary system.
Meals should be regular and preferably divided, and food should be taken in small portions.
