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Is bed-wetting a problem in young adults?

About two out of every 100 young adults wet the bed at night (also called nocturnal enuresis). It can be a problem for both young men and women, with most young adults who wet the bed having done so since they were a child. While some may have had help as a child, many young people may never have had help with this problem. They may think bed-wetting will get better with time, or that it can’t be helped.

Some young people with night-time wetting may also have day-time bladder problems, such as passing urine more often and more urgently than normal, and urine leaks as they hurry to the toilet (also called overactive bladder).

Bed-wetting can make everyday life more difficult. Young adults may be embarrassed by this problem, and they may fear that people will find out. They can also have the expense and workload of extra washing. It can be tricky to stay away from home overnight or to share a bed or room with someone else. A big worry is what bed-wetting can mean for close personal relationships.

Leŋ riënythii laac ke nin?

Tɛ̈ cït tɛ̈n riënythii ka rou riënythi 100 yic aa laac ke nin (tuany ye riënythi laac ka nin). Kën a lëu bë ril riënythii nhïïm, dhäk ku nyïr, ku riënythii laac ke nin aa lac ya kɔɔc këc muöl laac-nïn gɔl tɛ̈n ye kek mïth. Tɛkdä ka riënythii kɔ̈k aa cë kony bïk muöl laac agenic wäär ye kek mïth, ku riënythii kɔ̈k aa këc kony bïk muöl laac-nïn gɔl tɛ̈n ye kek mïth. Tɛkdä ka yekä tak alä laac-nïn a bë jäl tɛ̈ le run wan wälä tɛ̈kdä ka yekä tïŋ ka ye ayäär cïn kë nyɛɛy yeen.

Riënythii laac-nïn aa lëu bïk laŋ kä jöör tɛ̈n keek biäk alɛ̈ɛ̈c aköl – kä cït laac emën ku emën ku riiŋ ɣön laac, ku thiu thar ke riiŋ ɣön laac (cɔl aläny tuc guöp).

Laac-nïn a lëu bë tɛ̈ ye raan kä ke luɔɔy thïn aköl rac yiic. Riënythii aa lëu bïk ya rëër ke cë gup riɔ̈ɔ̈c wɛ̈t laac-nïn, ku rëërkä ke riɔ̈c cït bï jäŋ ŋic lɔn ye kɔk laac nïn. Aya a lëu bïk laŋ alɛ̈th juɛ̈ɛ̈c yekä lɔɔk. A lëu bïk nhïïm thiɛk tɛ̈ yöök pamäth keek bïk la nin bei yic – agerem raan dä nhom. Ku na thiekkä nhïïm, ka ke ke diir ciët määth bë riääk.

Is help available for bed-wetting?

The good news is that you CAN get help. With careful review and treatment, bed-wetting can often be cured, even if past treatment did not help.

Even when it can’t be cured, you can reduce symptoms and keep bedding dry.

Leŋ raan lëu bë riënythii laac nïn kony?

Thoŋ path a kïn: yïn a LËU bë yï kony ba muöl laac nïn. Na muk laac du nhom ku muɔc yïïn wal, ka laac-nïn a lëu bë kɔ̈ɔ̈c, cɔkalɔn cï döc kaŋ them thɛɛr ku cïn kë yɛm.

Cɔk lä këc laac-nïn kɔ̈ɔ̈c, ka kä juɛ̈ɛ̈c cath ke yeen aa bë tek yiic ku cïn akät yiic lɛc.

What causes bed-wetting in young adults?

Wetting the bed is caused by a mix of three things:

  • the body making a large amount of urine through the night;
  • a bladder that can only store a small amount of urine at night; and
  • not being able to fully wake up from sleep.

In some young adults there is likely to also be some change in bladder function that stops normal filling and emptying of urine through the day.

Worldwide research means that we now know more about the causes of bed-wetting, such as:

  • bed-wetting can run in some families;
  • some bladders can’t hold very much urine through the day and this can cause problems at night;
  • some bladders do not fully empty on the toilet, which means urine stays in the bladder;
  • some kidneys make larger amounts of urine than normal through the night.

Yeŋö yen riënythii cɔl a lɛ̈c akät yiic?

A leŋ käŋ ka diɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ laac-nïn bɛ̈i:

  • Tɛ̈ ye guöp pïu juääc wuöl wɛ̈ɛ̈r yic;
  • Tɛ̈ koor alɛ̈ɛ̈c bë lac juääc cï ye muk; ku
  • Tɛ̈ këc meth pääc apath.

Tɛ̈n riënythii kɔ̈k, alɛ̈ɛ̈c a lëu bë nuɔɔŋ bë ciën tɛ̈ yekä yök lɔn wïc laac wälä cïk wïc laac.

Jäc gɛ̈ɛ̈k cë looi pinynhom ebën a cë lɛ̈k kä juääc biäk laac-nïn, kä cït:

  • Laac-nïn a lëu bë cath kuat;
  • Alɛ̈c kɔ̈k aa ce lɛc juääc muk aköl ku yen lan wɛ̈ɛ̈r ku ye rot looi bë raan ya laac emën ku mën ku pën ye nïn;
  • Alɛ̈c kɔ̈k aa ce yiic thök tɛ̈ le raan laac, lɛc kɔ̈k aa döŋ alɛ̈ɛ̈c yic;
  • Rok kɔ̈k aa lɛc juääc wuöl wɛ̈ɛ̈r yic.

Can there be other reasons for bed-wetting?

Some other things can make it hard to control bed-wetting, such as:

  • constipation;
  • infection in the kidney or bladder;
  • drinking too many drinks with caffeine and/or alcohol;
  • the use of some medications and illegal drugs; and
  • allergies or enlarged adenoids and tonsils which block the nose or upper airways at night.

Leŋ dɛ̈d raan cɔl a lac nïn?

A leŋ kä kɔ̈k raan cɔl a lac nïn, kä cït:

  • Kuil;
  • Tuany ë rok wäla alɛ̈ɛ̈c;
  • Dëŋ kä leŋ yiic kape wälä/ku määu;
  • Wal kɔ̈k ye akïm gät kɔc ku wal rɛc ye kual; ku
  • Mïïth muön ke rim wälä cuk wum wën ye raan kuöc wëëi tɛ̈ niin yen.

How can bed-wetting be helped?

Research has led to new types of treatment. Since bed-wetting in young adults can be more complex than in children, you must talk to a health professional with special training in bladder problems, such as a doctor, physiotherapist or continence nurse advisor. When you see this health professional, the problem will be reviewed and a physical check and some tests will be done. One test may check your urine flow (by passing urine in private into a toilet). Another test can check if your bladder empties right out. You may also be asked to do a bladder diary at home.

Treatment will depend on what was found in the check, but could be:

  • treatment of constipation and bladder infection;
  • drugs or sprays to boost how much your bladder can hold, or to cut down how much urine is made through the night;
  • training to control how well the bladder stores and empties urine;
  • use of an alarm that goes off when the bed becomes wet. This can be useful for young adults as well as children but may not be the first thing tried;
  • a mix of some of the above treatments; and
  • use of continence products to protect bedding and skin, reduce odour and increase comfort while treatment is underway.

Treatment can take a few months to work. If you only take the drugs or use the alarm now and then, it may not work at all. Some of the things that can increase the chance of becoming dry are:

  • wanting to improve;
  • having your treatment supervised; and
  • putting in a big effort to make changes where you have been asked to.

When bed-wetting does not get better, it isn’t your fault in this case, you should see a specialist doctor who will do a more thorough review.

Raan lac nïn bë kony kadä?

Jäc cë looi a döcdööc juääc cɔl yök. Rin ril yen yic bë laac-nïn deet tɛ̈n riënythii tɛ̈ thööŋ keek ke mïth, ka yïn a dhil jam kek raan cë wël pial guöp kueen, apɛy raan cë wël alɛ̈ɛ̈c kueen, raan cït akïm, raan kɔc duääny wälä akuɔnyakïm ë thiu thar. Na lɔɔr tɛ̈n raan cït kën, ka tuany du a bë bɛn la caath, ku cɛɛth raan guöp ku cɛɛth tɛ̈ ye guöp raan luui thïn. Cëmën lɛc aa lëu bë ke caath (bë raan ka akïm tɔ̈u thïn ku a cïn raan dɛ̈d). Cɛɛth dɛ̈d a lëu bë alɛ̈ɛ̈c tïŋ lɔn cï yen yic thök. A lëu bë yï lɛ̈k aya ba kaam yïn laac baai ya gät piny – ku gät kuat kë loi rot laac du yic ebën baai.

Döc bë gäm raan a luɔɔy tɛ̈ cït tɛ̈n kë cë yök raan guöp, a lëu bë ya:

  • Döny ë kuil ku tuany alɛ̈ɛ̈c.
  • Wal wälä ka wën ye puɔɔu meth guöp bïk alɛ̈ɛ̈c ya cɔla muk lɛc juääc wälä bïk lɛc ye rok ë meth wuöl wɛ̈ɛ̈r yic tɛk yiic.
  • Ŋïïc bë alɛ̈ɛ̈c ŋiɛc ŋiëëc bë lɛc juääc ya muk ku ŋïïc kaam ë laac.
  • Lon ë kaaŋ ë wɛ̈ɛ̈r wën bë ya kuuth tɛ̈ cï agerem tiap. Kën a lëu bë piath tɛ̈ riënythii ku mïth ku a cë path bë ya yen kë kɔŋ looi.
  • Liɛ̈ɛ̈p bï dööc kä liääp; ku
  • Wal ë tuany ë acuek aŋuum rin bë akät ku dɛ̈l ya rëër ke la läkläk, ku tek ŋuäc yic ku cɔl raan a pɛ̈l ye guöp piny ka döc la tueŋ.

Wal aa lëu bïk pɛ̈y lik looi ku jɔlkä luui. Na ye wal ke ye dek röt ku kaaŋ ë wɛ̈ɛ̈r ee luui ku ben kɔ̈ɔ̈c, ka cïn kë bë rot ka looi. Kä kɔ̈k bë laac-nïn tek yic aa kïk:

  • Tɛ̈ wïc meth yeen bë muöl laac-nïn;
  • Tɛ̈ muk akïm döny ë wal nhom; ku
  • Cöŋ puöu bï wek we puöth cɔ̈k kä cï akïm lueel yiic rin bë laac-nïn dhiɛl muöl.

Na cë laac ɣöt rot war, ka cee awäc du. kee tënë, ka yïn adhil akïm tïŋ bï bɛn la caath apath.

Seek help

Qualified nurses are available if you call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66* (Monday to Friday, between 8.00am to 8.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time) for free:

  • Information;
  • Advice; and
  • Leaflets.

If you have difficulty speaking or understanding English you can access the Helpline through the free Telephone Interpreter Service on 13 14 50. The phone will be answered in English, so please name the language you speak and wait on the phone. You will be connected to an interpreter who speaks your language. Tell the interpreter you wish to call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66. Wait on the phone to be connected and the interpreter will assist you to speak with a continence nurse advisor. All calls are confidential.

* Calls from mobile telephones are charged at applicable rates.

Wïc kuɔɔny

Mathaat akïm cï piöc aabï tɔ̈ na yï ayup telepun Kuɔɔny Baai käk thiu thar ee nïmra kënëic tök, bɛ̈t, gueu, diäk, diäk, gueu, dhetem, dhetem*/ 1800 33 00 66* (aköl Tök agut aköl Dhiëc ee Läätic (Monday- Friday) kaam thaa bɛ̈t nhiäk-duur (8am) ku thaa bɛ̈t thëëi (8pm) ee thaa kɔc Australia ciëŋ Ciëën) aye gäm kɔc abɛc:

  • Lëk/Wël;
  • Wëët; ku
  • Athör thiin ë lëk.

Na yïn acie ŋiëc jam thoŋ English apiɛth ka yïn alëu ba telpun luɔi ye kɔc Kuɔny wɛ̈r thokic yuɔ̈p. Cɔl nïmra kënë tök diäk, tök, ŋuan, dhiëc/13 14 50. Tueŋic, abï raan kɔŋ dhuk nhom ee thoŋ English, luel thoŋduɔ̈n ee yïn jam ku tiɛ̈ɛ̈t ee telepunic. Yïn abï tuɔ̈ɔ̈m thok kek raan kɔc waar thook/duwër jam thuɔŋdu, ku jal kek lɛ̈k wɛ̈tduɔ̈n wïc ee yïn kɔc Baai Kuɔɔny Käk thiu thar yuɔ̈p ee nïmra kënëic tök, bɛ̈t, gueu, diäk, diäk, gueu, dhetem, dhetem/ 1800 33 00 66. Tiɛ̈ɛ̈t ee telepunic ku bï yï gam ku duwër abï kony ba jam kek mathaat akïm kɔc lɛ̈k. Telepun duwër aye kɔc yup thïn abɛc/majan ee rin cïn en wëu ye wïc tënë yïn. Kek wël ëbɛ̈n aye thiaan yiic.

* Yup mobaalic ee wëu cam tëcït cɔ̈t baai ëtɛ̈n.

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Last Updated: Fri 30, Jul 2021
Last Reviewed: Tue 17, Mar 2020