Bedwetting Treatment

Bedwetting Treatment Omaha

Wet bed sheets. Wet pajamas. A sad and embarrassed child. Every parent has seen these familiar factors when dealing with bedwetting. While it is common with raising children, both parents and children can become stressed during this phase; parents feel frustrated, and children uncomfortable.

Our team at Diamond Chiropractic is exceptional when it comes to bedwetting. While there may not be any pain experienced with this condition, our team places the health of our patients first. 

Child_waking_with_a_dry_bed_largeWhat is it?

Also known as nocturnal enuresis, bedwetting occurs when children urinate while sleeping. This is due to the lack of control children have with their bladder. Bedwetting is very common for growing children, and it occurs more for boys than girls. The main reason is because the bladder has not developed enough for children to have the same control that adults have. As children age, they learn how to control their bladders better, leading to less incidents throughout the night. By age 5, most children have that control. It is when bedwetting persists, when children are age 6 and older, that it becomes serious. Not only will parents feel more frustrated, trying many alternatives to fix the problem, but children will be fearful when interacting with others.

What causes bedwetting?

Crazy as it sounds, there is no definitive cause behind bedwetting. Some people think it is due to genetics, others from constipation. Other possible causes involve slow brain-bladder control development, smaller bladder capacity, and sleep disorders. When bedwetting occurs, families should take notice of what “type” of bedwetting incidents their children are experiencing, too.

Primary vs. Secondary Bedwetting

The two types of bedwetting children can experience are primary and secondary. Primary bedwetting occurs for children who do not have dry nights since potty-training, but they are accident-free during the day. Secondary bedwetting happens when a child has consistent dry nights for at least six months but begins bedwetting again.

Both cases result in children feeling insecure and ashamed. They feel embarrassed and too nervous to go to sleepovers and sleep-away camps, events that exclude their parents.

Does stress cause bedwetting?

Another possible cause for bedwetting is stress. Any form of stress. Bedwetting itself is stressful for children and/or the family. Children fear being teased and embarrassed by family or friends, making them become anxious and withdrawn. Those with learning disabilities or difficulty focusing feel even more stressed out during this time.

Common stresses that affect children include:

  • Sleeping alone, especially for the first time
  • Starting at a new school
  • A new family member, particularly a brother/sister
  • A family crisis, such as a death or divorce
  • An accident or a traumatic event (this includes bedwetting)

Keep in mind that there is no definite answer behind what causes bedwetting. Other than the fact children are learning and developing control over their bladders. Whether there’s one cause or multiple, the main focus is the child and their health. Children understand this can be a very stressful moment in their lives. What they don’t want is more stress on themselves.

young boy sleeping in his bedCan medications help?

Doctors would prescribe a medication your child should take right away. They will describe how the medication should slow down the production of urine and decrease the chances of having wet sheets. Chiropractors, though, say that taking medications should be the last resort, not the first.

Medications are difficult to fully understand, due to numerous side effects they may have. Most common side effects include sudden weight changes, increased thirst, and some allergic reactions. With bedwetting, parents are already in a state of frustration, so anything stating to decrease the number of accidents sounds ideal. However, some of the medications prescribed may be used in cases for ADHD, depression, and several other conditions. In addition, these medications can lead to further complications, along with worsening current symptoms and leading to taking more medications.

The three most common medications prescribed for bedwetting cases are:

  • Desmopressin. Desmopressin is an anti-diuretic hormone that helps control thirst and urination. The most common type of desmopressin is DDAVP. Side effects of DDAVP include headaches, sudden weight gain, seizures, and loss of consciousness for periods of time. Additionally, medical conditions such as hypertension, kidney problems and cystic fibrosis can be affected.
  • Imipramine. Imipramine is an antidepressant best known with treating depression. It has been known to help prevent bedwetting in children, but it isn’t easy to explain how. In addition, side effects such as frequent and/or difficulty urinating are common with this medication. The most well-known form of imipramine is Tonfranil.
  • Anticholinergics. Anticholinergics block certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals are responsible for organ functions such as your heart beat, movement and digestion. As such, anticholinergics affect those organ functions, including urination. Other symptoms such as memory problems, constipation and drowsiness may occur.

Other symptoms can occur with taking certain medications, so further research will help parents understand what is being given to their children.

According to our Omaha Chiropractor…

Regarding whether medications can help, our Chiropractor will tell you they should be taken as a last resort. Chiropractic care focuses on helping the body heal, by relieving pain on nerves and other body parts. This is the case with bedwetting. With bedwetting, there is miscommunication between the brain, the kidneys, and the bladder. Though medications could help, they may hide the symptoms, not actually heal them completely.

Bedwetting Treatment at Diamond Chiropractic


At Diamond Chiropractic in Omaha, our chiropractor will perform an examination and evaluate your child’s posture to determine the cause of their bedwetting, in relation to the spine. If your child is age 5 and older, x-rays will be taken to further determine the cause. After comparing the findings and confirming the diagnosis, we will develop a treatment plan to help alleviate your child’s symptoms, heal the pain, and provide recommendations to lower their risk for possible re-occurrences.

Spinal Adjustment

Our doctor will realign the vertebrae in the affected area to increase the child’s range of motion and alleviate the pain on the spinal nerves. Realigning the vertebrae will improve communication between the nerves to the rest of the body; in this case, to the nerves connected to the child’s kidneys and other organs. Symptoms resulting from bedwetting, from other nerves in the affected area, may begin to decrease as well.

Intersegmental Traction

Intersegmental traction involves the use of a special chiropractic table. This specific table includes rollers that help lock in the adjustment done the same day. It helps take pressure off the nerves connected to the kidney, bladder, and other nerves. This type of treatment is effective with alleviating nerve pressure from bedwetting.

Acupuncture

Electro-therapy, or acupuncture, is effective with bedwetting and its symptoms. Acupuncture focus on certain points in relation to certain conditions. In this case, the doctor will target certain acupuncture points with connection to the kidneys, the bladder, the brain, and other nerves in relation to the case. Patients will notice, after several treatments, their child’s back pain begin to decrease. In addition, the child may experience more control over their kidneys and bladder, resulting in fewer incidents.

Lifestyle Advice

With any injury, whether to the back, neck, or extremity, the last thing you want to do is make the pain worse. The same idea applies to handling your child’s bedwetting. Our advice is designed to help you perform everyday tasks and responsibilities safely. We focus on healing and relief from bedwetting, not aggravating it further.

Contact Diamond Chiropractic for Bedwetting 

To get started with chiropractic care for your child’s bedwetting, choose our Chiropractor in Omaha today. Diamond Chiropractic is currently accepting new patients. Call our office today. 

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