Toileting

Bedwetting

Bedwetting in the 19+ range is less common; however, it does still occur and can be challenging and embarrassing. The reasons for this happening in early adulthood could come down to stress, underlying medical conditions or excessive drinking before bedtime.

If you are dealing with your adult child who is still wetting the bed, you should approach them with sensitivity and support. Encourage them to see a doctor so they can find out about any underlying health conditions.

Common toileting problems for adults

Even if you don’t have any underlying medical conditions, it is still likely that you will occasionally have one issue or another with toileting. It happens to everyone from time to time and is completely normal. You might experience issues with the following:

  • Frequency – you might find that you need to go to the toilet a lot, more than seven times a day
  • Urgency – suddenly needing to use the toilet and having to hurry to go
  • Wetting – wetting the bed by accident
  • Constipation – struggling to poo, and finding it painful or difficult to pass when you are able to poo
  • Soiling – when poo leaks into your underwear, either because your body has not warned you that its going to happen or because you just didn’t know that its there

How can I make these problems better?

There are a number of things you can do to help yourself with these problems, for example:

  • Evenly space the amount of water you have throughout the day, and don’t deprive yourself of water. Men should have about three-and-a-half litres and women should have about 2-and-a-half and two litres a day, but have more if its very hot or if you are doing lots of exercise. Having this amount will make sure you are properly hydrated and your wee will be pale in colour and less likely to irritate your bladder lining.
  • Being well hydrated will also help prevent constipation
  • Avoid having too much caffeine, drinks with a lot of caffeine will make you produce more wee, and can irritate your bowels if you have too much
  • Avoid drinking in the hour before you go to bed, especially if you have problems with bedwetting
  • Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. A good diet will help prevent constipation
  • Go to the toilet as soon as you feel the need for it
  • In school, you may be able to get a medical pass to allow you out of lessons to go to the toilet. You will need to explain why you need a pass and it can be embarrassing, but its best for you that you get a pass.

Medical conditions

There are a number of different medical conditions that can affect your toileting patterns. These include:

  • Constipation
  • Dementia
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Diabetes
  • Stroke
  • Diarrhea
  • Enlarged prostate
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Rectal prolapse
  • Bladder hyperactivity
  • Nerve damage
  • Pelvic floor disorder
  • Stress
  • Urinary tract infections

If you suffer from any of these then your ability to use the toilet properly can be greatly affected. You may struggle to keep a consistent pattern or you could be dehydrated or there could be blood in your wee or poo. If you suffer from a condition that is making it difficult to use the toilet then you should talk to a doctor and seek advice and medication.

Incontinence

Incontinence is when you are not able to control your bowels and bladder and you pass urine uncontrollably.

There are different types of incontinence and all can lead to long term issues. Its important to talk to your doctor if you think you are suffering from it.

The different types of incontinence are:

Stress incontinence

Stress incontinence is when the pressure inside your bladder gets too great and becomes too much for your bladder to withstand. Any extra pressure on your bladder such as when you laugh or sneeze can cause your bladder to give way and you will start to wee.

On top of this, your urethra may not be able to stay closed if the muscles in your pelvis are weak or damaged. Problems with these muscles can be caused by:

  • Damage during childbirth
  • Increased pressure on your stomach, for example because you are pregnant
  • Damage to the bladder during surgery

Urge incontinence

Urge incontinence is the overly regular need to wee and can be caused by problems with the muscles in the walls of your bladder. The Detrusor muscles relax the bladder and then contract when you go to the toilet to let the urine out. Sometimes these muscles contract too often and makes you need to go to the toilet urgently.

This can be caused by:

  • Drinking too much alcohol or caffeine
  • Not drinking enough fluids – this can cause too much strong, concentrated urine to collect in your bladder
  • Constipation
  • Urinary tract infections

Overflow incontinence

Overflow incontinence is sometimes called chronic urinary retention and is caused by a blockage or obstruction in your bladder. Your bladder will fill up normally but because of the blockage you will not be able to empty it properly when you go to the toilet. Then the urine that is left in your bladder will build up behind the obstruction and will cause leaks.

This can be caused by:

  • An enlarged prostate
  • Bladder stones
  • Constipation
  • Nerve damage

Total incontinence

Total incontinence is where you have no control over your bladder at all and you will leak fluid constantly. This can be caused by:

  • A problem with your bladder from birth
  • An injury to your spinal chord
  • A bladder fistula – a small tunnel like hole that can form between the bladder and a nearby area, for example the vagina

Medicines that can cause incontinence

Sometimes incontinence can be caused by medication which disrupt the normal passing of fluids through your system and can increase or decrease the amount of urine that you produce.

These medicines include:

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