Question
My cousin is 16 years old, but a few days ago her mother said she has started wetting the bed. I would like to ask, is it normal for a 16-year-old girl to wet the bed? Do we need to take her to the hospital for a thorough check-up? Are there any special points to pay attention to in her daily living and dietary habits?
Answer
This is certainly not normal. If it happens only once or occasionally, there’s no need to worry. There’s no need to go to the hospital. It’s usually caused by mental fatigue, lack of sleep at night, poor sleep quality, and irregular sex life. It’s recommended to cultivate good living habits, such as moderate outdoor exercise and not drinking too much water before bedtime, which can help prevent bedwetting. Some herbal remedies can also help calm the nerves and improve sleep quality, such as Anshen Bubao (Nourishing the Brain and Calming the Mind) and Fufang Zao Ren Jiaonang (Complex Jujube Seed Capsules). However, if it happens frequently, it may be enuresis, usually caused by abnormal nerve control. There may be problems such as neurogenic bladder, spina bifida, and cerebrospinal fluid cysts on the spinal cord. Urinary color Doppler ultrasound examination, residual urine test, as well as magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine and spine are needed.