14 Common Symptoms of Enuresis in Adults and Children

The name enuresis makes it sound like you might never have heard of the condition before in your life, but nothing could be further from the truth. It’s more commonly known as bedwetting, and thousands of people experience this symptom every year due to a variety of different health conditions and reasons.

It happens in the majority of children at some point (and usually goes away by itself), but it can also happen in as much as 3% of the adult population – often for reasons such as a bladder infection, as a side-effect of starting or stopping certain medications or due to things like experiencing recent trauma.

The symptoms of bedwetting can go far further than just nighttime urination without waking up – there are other associated symptoms that can often help to point towards the cause of the symptom and help to find the right treatment.

Here are 8 common symptoms of enuresis in both children and adults that you should know about.

1. Nightmares

Bedwetting is a commonly experienced symptom for small children, and it’s generally considered normal for it to happen a few times and then go away by itself – but you should always take note if you notice bedwetting in a child that suddenly starts. It can be indicative of a physical condition that’s causing loss of bladder control (and is thankfully usually easy to treat), or it can many times indicate some kind of emotional trauma that you might not be aware of.

Nightmares are one of the symptoms that can often accompany bedwetting, and this is true for both children and adults. Sometimes this is due to recent trauma and occurs as a sign or side-effect. In cases of children, an appointment with a knowledgeable child therapist could be what’s needed to find the root of the trauma the child is experiencing – and it’s vital for proper diagnosis, treatment, and overall health.