This year we have been looking at the surprising things chiropractors in Beaver Dam and Watertown can treat. Now some may not have been very surprising, like arthritis or plantar fasciitis. However, this month’s article will cover an uncommon way to treat bedwetting and incontinence. Both conditions can be a source of significant distress for those who experience it. People become even more frustrated since the medical community can offer very little regarding treatment. This article explores how chiropractic care can benefit individuals suffering from bedwetting and incontinence.

First, let’s investigate the difference between bedwetting and incontinence. Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis, is involuntary urination during sleep. While it is common in young children, it can also persist into adolescence and adulthood. Most parents are told their child will grow out of it, but that isn’t always the case if the cause of the problem is not addressed. In contrast, Incontinence refers to the involuntary loss of bladder control. It can affect people of all ages and at all times of the day. It can be caused by various factors including muscle weakness, nerve damage, and underlying medical conditions.

The nervous system also plays a crucial role in controlling bladder function. It coordinates the signals between the brain, spinal cord, and bladder, ensuring that urination occurs at appropriate times. Any disruption in this communication can lead to problems such as bedwetting and incontinence. These signals can be disrupted due to misalignments in the spine and pelvis.

Misalignments in the pelvis also interfere with the function of the pelvic muscles and connective tissue. Connective tissue attaches from the pelvis to the bladder to hold the bladder in place. If the pelvic joints go out of alignment, it will pull on the connective tissue resulting in the bladder being pulled or sometimes slightly twisted affecting the function of the bladder.

What does normal function of the bladder look like? Our bladder receives urine from the kidney’s. The urine will continue to collect in the bladder until it starts to stretch the bladder. Once the bladder starts to stretch, it sends a signal to the brain to tell you it’s time to go to the bathroom. If everything is working properly, you will have plenty of time to get to a restroom before needing to relieve yourself. Now as mentioned above, if there is tension on the bladder, or misalignments in the spine and pelvis are blocking the signals from getting to the brain, the bladder isn’t able to function properly.

So where does chiropractic fit into all of this? Chiropractors look at the cause of your bladder issues including muscular causes, nerve causes, or connective tissue causes. By gently realigning the spine and pelvis with chiropractic adjustments, we can relieve the stress on the connective tissue and nerves going to the bladder. Another tool we use in our office is our low-level laser therapy. The laser increases the energy in the nerves and muscles so they can function properly. Everything needs to work together to ensure proper functioning of the bladder.

As mentioned earlier, medical conditions can also cause incontinence. Any woman who has had a baby knows that a strong laugh or sneeze can send them running to the bathroom. When women are pregnant their babies aren’t just pushing on their bladder, they are also stressing the pelvic floor muscles which over time will weaken. A pregnant woman's pelvic joints will misalign in order to allow a baby through a birth canal. In a perfect world, those joints come right back together, but that isn’t always the case. If you didn’t see a chiropractor after giving birth, you may have misalignments in the pelvis, causing some incontinent issues.

Studies and anecdotal reports suggest that chiropractic care can be beneficial for individuals suffering from bedwetting and incontinence. For instance: A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic adjustments helped improve urinary incontinence symptoms in patients. We ourselves have had success stories in our office. One in particular involved an older elementary girl who was consistently waking up in the morning having wet the bed. She even tried limiting the amount of liquid she drank before bedtime, but that didn’t help. This also kept her from wanting to have sleepovers due to this embarrassing issue. Due to misalignments in the spine and pelvis, her bladder wasn’t able to tell her brain to wake up and go to the bathroom. With just a few chiropractic treatments, she was having less and less accidents. After a couple months of chiropractic treatment, she no longer had to worry about wetting the bed anymore. She had been dealing with this for years and all it took was chiropractic treatments.

While more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and effectiveness of chiropractic care for bedwetting and incontinence, existing evidence and clinical experience suggest that it can offer a valuable treatment option for many individuals. By improving nervous system function, enhancing pelvic floor strength, and reducing stress, chiropractic care can play a crucial role in managing and potentially resolving these challenging conditions.

At our Wellness Class we will be able to look at the structure of the bladder and see all the factors that affect the bladder. We will also discuss lifestyle recommendations and exercises to restore proper function to the bladder. As always, I will be available to answer questions so bring your questions and get ready to learn! Please join us at our Beaver Dam location at 119 E. Mackie Street for this FREE class on Tuesday, July 16th at 5:30pm. You do not need to be a patient to attend.

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Yours in Health,
Dr. Stephanie Tyjeski

Dr. Stephanie graduated in December 2016 with her Doctorate in Chiropractic at Logan University. She continued on at Logan University to receive her Masters in Nutrition and Human Performance. She is also certified as a Digestive Health Professional through the LoomisEnzyme Institute. She currently works at Tyjeski Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center and recently received the Five Under Forty Award for being one of the area’s brightest young leaders.