Nocturnal Enuresis and Homoeopathy

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Article by Dr. Rajneesh Kumar Sharma, M.D. (Homoeopathy)

Definition

Enuresis is the involuntary passage of urine. It may be of three types.

    1. Nocturnal- usually occurs in first third of sleep, frequently during REM sleep; child may recall a dream with voiding.
    2. Diurnal- more frequent in girls and rarely after age 9 yr; voiding occurs in early afternoon on school days.
    3. Combined- nocturnal and diurnal enuresis.

Nocturnal enuresis or bed wetting is a form of parasomnia, characterized by the voluntary or involuntary repeated discharge of urine into clothes or bed in night after a developmental age when bladder control should be established. Sleep enuresis is only considered significant after the age of five years with a minimum of two events per week.

Causes

The exact causes of Nocturnal Enuresis are not clear. Some modalities in this regard are postulated as below-

    1. Psychological problems- rigid toilet training, parent’s negative attitudes towards child’s behaviour, stressful life events as well as having anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mental retardation etc.
    2. Hormonal imbalance- due to deficient generation of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) and hyposecretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP).
    3. Failure to become conscious bladder fullness.
    4. Bladder problems- weakness of the muscles of the bladder and small bladder.
    5. Intricacy with urinary system or neurological system.
    6. Cauda equina lesions.
    7. Urinary tract infection.
    8. Constipation.
    9. Diabetes.
    10. Epilepsy.
    11. Sleep apnea.
    12. Genetic factors- Nocturnal Enuresis tends to run in families.

Types

There are two types of nocturnal enuresis:

  1.  Primary Nocturnal Enuresis (Persistent)

It refers to enuresis that happens early in child’s development without a six-month enuresis-free period. It results when children do not arouse from sleep in response to bladder sensations.

    1. Secondary Nocturnal Enuresis (Regressive)

It refers to enuresis that happens between 6 months and several years after the child has been dry. Secondary sleep enuresis is related to psychological stressors, as well as the inability to concentrate urine, increased urine production, neurological pathology, seizures, and obstructive sleep apnea.

Evaluation

By putting centre of attention on urological function and assessing neurological function, especially of the lower extremities, may provide etiologic clues.

Differential Diagnosis

    • Association with encopresis and sleep disorders such as sleep terrors.
    • Organic causes associated with polyuria or urgency.

Diagnosis

    • Ultrasonography
    • Uroflowmetry
    • IVP
    • Urine routine exam, microscopy and culture.
    • Blood sugar
    • Serum electrolytes

Treatment

It should be focussed on the underlying cause. Patients should limit night time liquid intake and urinate before going to bed. Behavioural therapy, including micturitional training or bed alarms may improve urinary control. Gratifying the child for being dry at night is a useful step. The dry nights can be charted and, with each dry night, a prize can be given. Additional ample rewards should be given for increasing achievement.

Homoeopathic remedies for Nocturnal enuresis

Lyco > Bell > Cina > Hyosc > Gel > Puls > Ign > Arg-met > Kreos > Nux-v > Rhus-t > Op > Canth > Verat > Sep > Caps > Castrm > Coloc > Lach > Equis-h > Caust > Lac-c > Benz-ac > Chin > Chlol > Thuja > Cact > Nat-m > Senega > Sil > Sulph > Am-c > Med > Pha-c > Phos > Plan > Zinc > Apis > Arg-n > Arn > Ars > Fer > Graph > Mag-p > Nit-ac > Thyr > Aeth > Apoc > Aur > Calc > Carb-v > Carb-s > Cham > Crot-c > Eup-pur > Fer-act > Fl-ac > Hep > Kali-I > Kali-p > Mag-m > Merc > Nat-ars > Nat-c > Nat-p > Petr > Podo > Psor > Ruta > Sanic > Sarsa > Stram > Syc > Tub > Uran-met > Urt-u > Verb > Viola-t > Acon > Aesc > Alum > Anac > Aur-m > Aur-s > Bar- > Bar-m > Bry > Cimx > Coca > Con > Cub > Cupr > Dulc > Fer-I > Fer-P > Kali-br > Kali-c > Lac-d > M-aust > Mag-c > Mag-s > Merc-i-f > Mur-ac > Ox-ac > Physal-al > Quas > Rhus-a > Sabal > Santin > Sec > Sel > Spig > Squil > Staph > Tab > Ter > Uva > Valer

Repertory of Nocturnal enuresis

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – adolescence Lac-c. Lyc.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – children, in – difficult to waken the child Bell. chlol. KREOS. thuj.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – children, in – weakly, children, in Chin.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – children, in aesc. Bell. benz-ac. Caust. chin. Cina EQUIS-H. Kreos. Lyc. med. nat-m. phos. puls. sep. sil. thuj.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – dreaming, of urinating, while Kreos. lac-c. lyc. merc-i-f. Seneg. Sep. sulph.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – first, sleep benz-ac. CAUST. cina Kreos. Ph-ac. SEP.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – habit, when there is no tangible cause except EQUIS-H.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – midnight, to morning plan.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – morning, toward am-c. cact. chlol. zinc.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – night, after 5 a.m. cact.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis – spasmodic, enuresis ARG-MET. bell. canth. caps. castm. cina coloc. Gels. hyos. ign. lach. lyc. Nux-v. op. puls. rhus-t. verat.

Bladder – BEDWETTING, enuresis acon. Aeth. alum. Am-c. anac. anan. APIS Apoc. Arg-met. ARG-N. ARN. ARS. aur-m. aur-s. Aur. bar-c. bar-m. BELL. BENZ-AC. bry. cact. Calc. canth. Carb-v. Carbn-s. CAUST. Cham. chin. Chlol. cimx. Cina coca con. Crot-c. cub. cupr. dulc. EQUIS-H. Eup-pur. Ferr-act. ferr-i. ferr-p. FERR. Fl-ac. GRAPH. Hep. hyos. ign. kali-br. kali-c. Kali-p. KREOS. LAC-C. lac-d. LYC. m-aust. mag-c. Mag-m. MAG-P. mag-s. Med. Merc. mur-ac. Nat-ar. Nat-c. NAT-M. Nat-p. NIT-AC. nux-v. Op. ox-ac. Petr. ph-ac. Phos. physal-al. Plan. Podo. Psor. PULS. quas. rhus-a. RHUS-T. Ruta sabal Sanic. santin. Sars. sec. sel. Seneg. SEP. SIL. spig. squil. staph. Stram. SULPH. Syc. tab. ter. Thuj. THYR. Tub. Uran-met. Urt-u. uva verat. Verb. Viol-t. zinc.

Bladder – URGING, to urinate – involuntary, urination – night – spasmodic enuresis ARG-MET. bell. canth. caps. castm. cina coloc. Gels. hyos. ign. lach. lyc. Nux-v. op. puls. rhus-t. verat.

BLADDER – URINATION – dysuria – alternating with – enuresis Gels.

BLADDER – URINATION – involuntary – night – spasmodic enuresis ARG-MET. bell. canth. caps. castm. cina coloc. Gels. hyos. ign. lach. lyc. Nux-v. op. puls. rhus-t. verat.

Children – BEDWETTING – spasmodic, enuresis ARG-MET. bell. canth. caps. castm. cina coloc. Gels. hyos. ign. lach. lyc. Nux-v. op. puls. rhus-t. verat.

Children – SCROFULOUS, children – scrofulous, and syphilitic, enuresis Kali-i.

GENERALS – CONVULSIONS – epileptic – during epileptic convulsions; complaints – enuresis hyos.

MIND – HYSTERIA – enuresis; with ign. valer.

Stomach – HICCOUGHS, hiccups – night – enuresis, with hyos.

Urination – difficult, painful, dysuria, strangury – enuresis, alternating, with gels.

References

Radar 10

Encyclopedia Homoeopathica

Enuresis & Encopresis CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics > Chapter 2. Child Development & Behavior

Enuresis Adams and Victor’s Neurology > Chapter 28. Normal Development and Deviations in Development of the Nervous System > Restricted Developmental Abnormalities

School Age: Primary Nocturnal Enuresis Behavioral Medicine: A Guide for Clinical Practice > Chapter 9. Children > Examples of Common Behavioral Issues

Sleep Enuresis Harrison’s Online > Chapter 27. Sleep Disorders > Disorders of Sleep and Wakefulness > Parasomnias

Nocturnal Enuresis Williams Hematology, 8e > Chapter 48. Disorders of Hemoglobin Structure: Sickle Cell Anemia and Related Abnormalities > Clinical Features and Management > Genitourinary

Nocturnal Enuresis Adams and Victor’s Neurology > Chapter 19. Sleep and Its Abnormalities > Sleep Disorders > Additional Syndromes Occurring during Sleep

Somnambulism and Nocturnal Enuresis Clinical Neuroanatomy > Chapter 18. The Reticular Formation > Functions > Sleep > Clinical Correlations

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