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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffMany people are interested in trying alternative therapies to treat bed-wetting, and several therapies, such as hypnosis and acupuncture, appear to be somewhat effective. However, other therapies currently don't have evidence to support their use.
- Hypnosis. Small trials of hypnosis coupled with suggestions of waking up in a dry bed or visiting the toilet in the night found that this therapy may help some children stay dry throughout the night.
- Acupuncture. This treatment involves the insertion of fine needles in specific parts of the body. Results of multiple studies have found that acupuncture is effective for some children.
- Diet. Some people believe that certain foods adversely affect bladder function and that removing these foods from the diet could help decrease bed-wetting. Limited research has not involved many subjects, and more study is needed.
- Chiropractic. The idea behind chiropractic therapy is that if the spine is out of alignment, normal bodily functions will be affected. However, convincing evidence is lacking regarding the use of chiropractic for the treatment of bed-wetting.
- Homeopathy and herbs. Although some people are interested in homeopathic remedies and herbal products, none of these has been proven effective in clinical trials. If you decide to try such a product, check with your child's doctor before giving it to your child, as some of these products may contain harmful ingredients or may interact with other medications your child is taking.
References
- Urinary incontinence in children. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/uichildren. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Gonzales Jr. ET, et al. Approach to the child with nocturnal enuresis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Robson WL. Evaluation and management of enuresis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:1429.
- Shreeram S, et al. Prevalence of enuresis and its association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among U.S. children: Results from a nationally representative study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2009;48:35.
- AAP Parenting Corner Q&A: Bedwetting. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_BedWetting.htm. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Cutting DA, et al. Nocturnal enuresis: Application of evidence-based medicine in community practice. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health. 2007;43:167.
- Bedwetting: Information for parents: Questions kids ask. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/patients/bw/BW_faq.cfm?id=par. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Tu NW, et al. Management of nocturnal enuresis in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Culbert TP, et al. Wetting the bed: Integrative approaches to nocturnal enuresis. Explore. 2008;4:215.
