Frequent Urination At Night: Is It Normal Or A Urological Problem?

Getting up several times throughout the night to use the bathroom can be frustrating and exhausting. Although night-time urination from time to time is often not a concern, frequent and regular night-time urination, also referred to as nocturia, may point to an underlying medical condition. Hence, this blog from Sugam Hospital which explains what nocturia is and when it can be changed into a sign of a urological issue.

What Is Nocturia?

Nocturia is a condition in which a person wakes up repeatedly throughout the night to urinate. This sleep interruption can significantly affect the way one lives their life, causing tiredness, irritability, and lack of concentration. Although nocturia is apparently considered as a small issue, frequent night time bathroom visits can be a sign of some underlying medical condition, especially in people who suffer from it regularly.

It is normal for the bladder to fill throughout the day, and most individuals usually urinate before bedtime. In nocturia,  the bladder continues to indicate the need to be emptied at night. Nocturia is most prevalent among elderly individuals but may affect individuals of any age.

Causes Of Frequent Night Time Urination

The causes for nocturia include various factors where some can be simple while it can be the indication of any serious medical condition. Hence, below are the most prevalent causes for the nocturia and they are, 

Excessive Fluid Intake Before Sleeping

One of the reasons for nocturia can be consumption or intake of too much fluid especially caffeinated, alcoholic, or sugary beverages before bedtime.  This can cause the frequent urination at night, filling the bladder faster and resulting frequent visits to the bathroom during night.

Drugs

Another reason for nocturia can be due to some medications especially for those who are intaking diuretics which are commonly prescribed for the blood pressure or heart disease. The diuretics force the excess water from the body and its effect may be carried over during the night time. 

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Thirdly, the Urinary Tract Infections or UTIs may irritate the bladder and cause frequent urination during the night. So, some of the other symptoms of UTI include the burning sensation while urinating, cloudy or bloody urine, and the urge for frequent urination. 

Enlarged Prostate (BPH)

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is another condition that affects older men and involves enlargement of the prostate gland, which presses on the urethra. This may disrupt normal urination flow and lead to more urinating, especially during the night

Overactive Bladder

An overactive bladder (OAB) causes sudden, frequent urges to urinate. This leads to daytime and nighttime urination, as well as potential leakage. OAB is usually caused by bladder dysfunction or other illness.

Diabetes

Untreated diabetes causes elevated blood sugar levels, which subsequently may lead to the kidneys having to work harder in a bid to eliminate the excess glucose. This may lead to increased urination, particularly at night.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can lead to disturbances in the sleep pattern, with individuals waking at night, occasionally to go to the bathroom. In such instances, the need to go to the bathroom might be secondary to an inferior quality of sleep.

Sugam Hospital has the best team of skilled urologists led by the leading urology specialist in Chennai committed to diagnosing and treating the nocturia conditions with individualized attention. We have advanced diagnostic equipment to determine the underlying causes of the symptoms while providing effective and personalized treatment solutions. Although it is not necessary that nocturia may be an alarm, repeated night time urination should be assessed by the healthcare professional. Sugam Hospital stands at the forefront in providing specialized urological treatment to determine the reason behind the symptoms and relieve you so that you can lead a better life.