Laurel, Montana — Wet blankets and sheets in the morning, soaked, smelly pajamas, soggy, cold, and wet underwear, and a very uncomfortable, embarrassed and ashamed child – this is a picture of bed wetting (Nocturnal Enuresis) and loss of bladder control for children.
Enuresis simply stated is bed wetting past the usual time a child is potty trained – whereas loss of bladder control applies to children during the school day. It can also apply to adults – have you heard of the new “Overactive Bladder Disease?” I just love marketing.
It is estimated that 1 out of 5 young children wets the bed regularly. This means that 20% of children under the age of ten wet their bed. Not Ok! Imagine what this does to a child’s self esteem. Incidentally, the oldest patient I have seen with this condition was a 21-year-old dental hygienist. Over time, various reasons and “causes” have been proposed as the origin of bed wetting; psychological, habitual, etc. Many methods have been used to “treat” this affliction; alarm systems in the bed, electric shocks, hypnosis, drugs, waking the child, psychotherapy, spankings, self-blame, the “bad boy” syndrome, punishments, etc. None of these have had much of an affect. Not that many years ago, this was thought to be the fault of the child who was simply misbehaving. What bizarre beings we can be!
Bed-wetting or loss of bladder control occurs when there is improper function of the valve (sphincter), which controls the flow of urine from the bladder. Many people think of it as a faucet or a spigot – turning on the flow of urine from the bladder. So what controls this faucet? Good question. This valve is simply a ring of muscle which contracts, or relaxes, to control urine flow. So what controls this ring of muscle – this valve? You would be surprised to learn that this valve is under total control of the nervous system – that internal INTERNET that runs your program. This valve actually has two sets of nerves, which control its function; one is under voluntary control, which means you go when you want to. The other is on “autopilot” or “automatic.” In other words, the child has no voluntary control over this particular one. The function of these two sets of nerves is controlled by the child’s nervous system, which keeps both in check and balance. If the nervous system is allowed to function with no interference, there should be no problem with wetting the bed, or the pants, or the underwear, in school or at home. Period!
Beware of ads suggesting that it is OK for children to wet the bed because now there are school age diapers available. These ads seem to suggest that the bladder may not have developed properly and so a diaper is the answer. Nonsense! This is called marketing!
Have you noticed ads recently, mentioning a new “disease”? I have mentioned it earlier. The medical industry has developed a new disease. It is called the “Overactive Bladder Disease”. And as you may have guessed, there is a drug to deal with condition. Isn’t it a wonderful service the pharmaceutical industry is providing.
Similar thinking holds true for school age or adult diapers. Instead of dealing with the reason WHY the bladder is not functioning, it is much more profitable to put adults and school age children in “diapers”. Marketing states that it is now socially acceptable to go shopping and do your business as you walk because you are wearing diapers. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
Most chiropractors who deal with children will tell you that kids who are bed wetters, and those afflicted with loss of bladder control, respond very well to chiropractic care. The reason for this is quite simple – we deal with removing any interference to the normal function of the nervous system. Applying this concept to a child (or adult) whose nervous system control of his or her bladder is lacking, the results can be quite amazing. If your child, or someone you love, is experiencing difficulty with bladder control, please call us, we can help!
For More Information
We would be happy to answer any questions you have about this article, general spinal health or your specific situation. To discuss your symptoms and concerns call (406) 628-9322.
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Maurer Chiropractic
113 East Main Street
Laurel, MT 59044
How We Are Different
Dr. Maurer is a unique Laurel chiropractor who specializes in difficult cases that have not responded to other care. All treatment plans are highly individualized based on your specific history, needs and goals.
Areas We Serve
We are located in Laurel and serve the communities that reside in zip codes 59044, 59101, 59102, 59108, 59041, and 59014. However, we see patients from a large radius around Billings, Yellowstone, and Clarks Fork Valley because of the unique, customized treatment options we offer.