Nocturia
What is Nocturia?
Nocturia is waking up more than once during the night because you have to pee.
Typically, you should be able to sleep six to eight hours without having to get up to go to the bathroom. People who have nocturia wake up more than once a night to pee. This can cause disruptions to your normal sleep cycle, leaving you tired and with less energy during the day.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms of nocturia can include:
Waking up twice or more to pee at night.
Peeing more in volume if polyuria is present. Polyuria is peeing too much volume of pee, but not necessarily peeing too many times.
Fatigue and sleepiness during the day.
Diagnosis
You and your healthcare provider will want to learn the cause of your nocturia. You'll be asked about your symptoms and health history. Your healthcare provider may also ask you to keep a bladder diary to help with a diagnosis. This diary is used to track things like the kind and amount of liquids you drink, trips to the bathroom, etc. to track trends over a period of time, which can lead to useful treatments.
Some questions your doctor may ask:
When did your symptoms first start?
How often do you need to go to the bathroom each night?
Is there a large or small amount of urine when you go?
Has your urine amount changed (increased or decreased)?
How much caffeine or alcohol do you drink each day? When?
Do you feel like you're getting enough sleep?
Has your diet changed recently?
Do you wake up wet? (Are you leaking?)
If your healthcare provider needs more information, you may have a:Urine culture and urinalysis: check for infection, unwanted blood, and other elements in your urine.
Blood test: to check the kidney and other possible causes such as thyroid levels, cholesterol levels and the presence of anemia, diabetes or other health issues
Bladder scan: shows how much urine is still in the bladder after you go to the bathroom.
Cystoscopy: checks for possible causes of your symptoms by having the Urologist insert a narrow tube with a tiny lens inside the bladder.
Urodynamic testing: checks to see how well your lower urinary tract stores and releases urine.
Treatment
Lifestyle changes: Including modification of diet and habits, along with timing of fluid intake, will be reviewed in order to maximize the improvement to your nocturia severity.
Pelvic floor exercises: Will be encouraged if there are risk factors to anticipate a weakness in the muscles that support the pelvic floor.
Medications: May be discussed as another means of gaining control over nocturia
Emsella (offered at Muskoka Urology):
Emsella is a breakthrough, non-invasive, painless treatment that restores pelvic floor function. The Emsella chair creates supramaximal contractions in the pelvic floor muscles, building a stronger and tighter pelvic floor. This strengthening of the pelvic muscles provides sturdier support for pelvic organs like the bladder, improving control and confidence. And there’s a bonus! A stronger pelvic floor frequently enhances sexual function, too
Emsella treatments have delivered extraordinary results. Clinical studies have shown up to 95% of patients report an improvement in quality of life and decreased trips to the bathroom overnight.