Concord Chiropractic and Bedwetting

Bedwetting

 Up to the age of four or five, most children have poor bladder control at night. But after that, the inability to stay dry at night is a sign of an underlying problem. A problem that often leads to severe embarrassment. No sleepovers. Plastic mattress covers. Anger and frustration. Shame and self esteem issues. Even diapers. 

Chiropractors do not treat nocturnal enuresis "bedwetting", however many children have been helped with safe and natural care at Barton Chiropractic in Concord.

Bladder Physiology

Two key muscles control the emptying of the bladder. Nerves that exit the spinal column in the lower back and sacrum control these muscles.

During the early years of life, the sacrum has five separate segments. Later, they fuse together to form the triangular-shaped bone that adults have at the base of the spine. If these segments misalign (falling, learning to walk, ride a bike, etc.) they can compromise nerves that are responsible for bladder function.

At Barton Chiropractic in Concord we look for these sometimes subtle misalignments during our examination. If these misalignments are compromising the nerves that control bladder function, and these misalignments are reduced with safe and natural chiropractic adjustments, nervous system control and regulation of the bladder can be restored.

I have included some research that I discovered that proves just how effective Chiropractic can be.

Published Research

ADD, Enuresis, Toe Walking. International Chiropractic Pediatric Association Newsletter May/June 1997. From the records of Rejeana Crystal, D.C., Hendersonville, TN.

This is the case of a six-year-old boy suffering from nightly nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting), attention deficit disorder and toe walking.  He walked with his heels 4 inches above the ground.  The medical specialist recommended both Achilles’ tendons cut and both ankles broken to achieve normal posture and gait. 

Chiropractic findings included subluxation of atlas, occiput, sacrum and pelvis…after 4 weeks of care both heels dropped 2 inches and the bedwetting frequency decreased to 2-3 times per week.  His medical doctor was shocked at his recovery under chiropractic care.

Chiropractic management of primary nocturnal enuresis.  Reed WR, Beavers S, Reddy SK, Kern G.J Manipulative Physiol Ther Vol. 17, No. 9 Nov/Dec 1994. 

This was a controlled clinical trial of 46 enuretic (bedwetting) children that were placed under chiropractic care.  The children were under care for a 10 week period preceded by and followed by a 2 week no treatment period. 

The 46 children were divided into two groups:  31 received chiropractic care and 15 were in the control group.

At the end of the study, 25% of the treatment-group children had 50% or more reduction in the wet night frequency from baseline to post-treatment while none among the control group had such reduction.

Bed-wetting; two case studies.  Marko, RB Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol 1 No 1 April 1994.

Case #0991.

This is the case of a five-year-old female who had been wetting her bed for six months and was prescribed antibiotics for what MDs diagnosed as a bladder infection.

After the second chiropractic adjustment, she stopped wetting her bed for three weeks. She had a bad fall and began to wet her bed again.  Following her next adjustment, she has remained dry.

Case #0419.

This is the case of a nine-year-old male who wet his bed almost every day of his life.  During his first six months of chiropractic care he would remain dry for one or two days after his adjustments.  A change in adjustments to the sacrum resulted in greater improvement.  He is now dry for one-half to two-thirds of the nights between the adjustments.

Functional nocturnal enuresis.  Blomerth PR. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1994:17:335-338. 

This is the case of an eight-year-old male bed-wetter. He was adjusted once in the lumbar spine.  At a one month follow-up there was complete resolution of enuresis.

The child had two wet nights  following a sports accident but was adjusted and the bed-wetting ceased.  He had minor accidents one year and two years later, with enuresis starting again.  In both instances the bedwetting ceased after adjustments.

The author remarks: “This happened in a manner that could not be attributed to time or placebo effect,” since the patient didn’t know that adjustments could affect that condition.”

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics document many studies showing the positive benefits of chiropractic care.

• A study of 46 children received chiropractic care for a 10-week period. A quarter of those receiving chiropractic care had 50% or more reduction in the wet night frequency, while none among the control group saw a reduction. (JMPT 1994 (Nov-Dec);17 (9): 596-600 )
• Children with a history of persistent bed-wetting received eight chiropractic adjustments. Number of wet nights fell from seven per week to four. (JMPT 1991 (Feb);14 (2): 110-115)
• The lumbar spine of an eight-year-old male bed wetter was adjusted once and at a one-month follow-up. There was a complete resolution of enuresis. “This happened in a manner that could not be attributed to time or placebo effect.” (JMPT 1994 (Jun);17 (5): 335-338)

For more research on Chiropractic and bedwetting, visit our research page and look under Bedwetting.

Since chiropractic isn’t a treatment for bedwetting, a thorough examination is necessary. If the bedwetting is caused by nerve interference from the spine, many children see great results with chiropractic care. Find out!

We approach these cases with sensitivity and compassion. Your son or daughter will appreciate and understand our explanations. Please call Barton Chiropractic in Concord at 685-2002 if your specific concern hasn't been addressed here.