Nocturia

Nocturia is the medical term for frequent nighttime urination. While many people awaken during the night to urinate, those with nocturia experience a frequency of urination that is excessive and may disrupt their sleep cycle. Nocturia becomes more common with age because older people have higher urinary output at night. In addition to aging, nocturia may also be symptomatic of the use of diuretic substances (including caffeine and alcohol), prescription drugs, edema from heart failure, insomnia, pain and prostate or bladder disorders.

 


Risk factors for Nocturia

Circulation  

Congestive Heart Failure

Edema fluid that collects in tissues during the day due to heart failure can result in increased night time urination.



Environment / Toxicity  


Infections  


Organ Health  


 


 


Respiratory  


Tumors, Benign  

Fibroids

See link between Constipation and Fibroids.



Tumors, Malignant  



Nocturia suggests the following may be present

Infections  


Tumors, Malignant  



Recommendations for Nocturia

Diet  

Artificial Sweetener Avoidance

Sugar substitutes like aspartame and saccharin may cause bladder irritation. The most difficult soda to tolerate appears to be diet cola, which is a quadruple whammy of carbonation, caffeine, aspartame and cocoa derivatives, four known bladder irritants.



 

Alcohol Avoidance

Diuretics such as alcohol and caffeine may increase urine output and cause nighttime urination.



 


Drug  

Conventional Drugs / Information

Some prescription medicines can cause nighttime urination.



Environmental  

Chemical Avoidance

Here is the story of Gary Craig, who found that cooking with teflon was causing frequent urination.

“About three or four years ago I began having to urinate too often, including getting up five or six times at night. Gradually it got worse until it reached a peak a few months ago when I was urinating two or three times an hour all day long.

Sometimes after going to bed I would have to get up and urinate 10 or 12 times in the first two hours. Then, in addition, I would still get up another five or six times during the night.

I noticed, however, that the problem went away when I left home to go on a trip. Within 24 to 48 hours of walking out my front door, my system returned to normal. When I returned, the problem came back within 24 to 48 hours. So, what was happening at home to cause this?

I did elimination diets and could find no discernible cause from what I was eating. I spent more time outdoors to see if a change from non-house air was doing it. No difference. Besides, it wasn’t likely to be something in my home because I had moved two years ago and had the same problem in the previous house.

Sometimes the problem would subside for a while and them come roaring back, and I was convinced that I was somehow causing it. I did EFT on it, of course, and would get temporary relief. However, the fact that the EFT relief was only temporary was a big clue that I was doing something on an ongoing basis to cause this problem. But what was it?

Then, about two or three months ago, I read an article on Dr. Mercola’s Web site regarding Teflon. It said that cooking things in Teflon over high heat was likely to cause toxicity. Although I never used high heat (nothing above medium heat), I recalled that three or four years ago (about the time all this started) my mother gave me a Teflon frying pan … which I began using regularly.

I stopped using the Teflon frying pan and BINGO! About 24 to 48 hours later the problem vanished and has never returned. It now made sense. When I left home for a trip, I was away from the Teflon frying pan. When I came back, I started using the Teflon frying pan again.



Key

Weak or unproven link
Strong or generally accepted link
Proven definite or direct link
May do some good
Likely to help
May have adverse consequences

Glossary

Nocturia

Excessive urine production during the night.

Diuretic

An agent increasing urine flow, causing the kidneys to excrete more than the usual amount of sodium, potassium and water.

Edema

Abnormal accumulation of fluids within tissues resulting in swelling.

Prostate

The prostate gland in men that surrounds the neck of the bladder and the urethra and produces a secretion that liquefies coagulated semen.

Constipation

Difficult, incomplete, or infrequent evacuation of dry, hardened feces from the bowels.

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