If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes (or you’re caring for someone who has), you’ve probably found that bladder problems can come along with it. Perhaps it was trouble emptying your bladder or knowing when to empty it that led you to the doctor in the first place!
November is National Bladder Health Awareness Month, a time to talk about bladder symptoms many people keep to themselves, from frequent bathroom trips to leaks and bedwetting.
Parents, this one is for you too. Children with diabetes can run into bladder trouble, and some of the signs are easy to mistake for ordinary childhood habits. Bedwetting and daytime accidents are a good example.
High blood glucose and nerve damage due to diabetes can impact how often you feel the need to use the bathroom, as well as how likely you are to get an infection.
But you’re not the only one struggling with these symptoms. The CDC reports that 40.1 million Americans (about 12% of the population) had diabetes in 2023, diagnosed or not.
Many of those individuals likely experience the same complications you do, and resources and treatments can help (if you know where to look!).
Diabetes is only one reason the bladder stops cooperating. Urinary incontinence, the loss of bladder control that causes leaks, affects people of all ages, with or without diabetes.
Cleveland Clinic reports that about 62% of females age 20 and older and a little under 14% of males have some type of incontinence. Diabetes can cause it, so the signs below are worth knowing, whether your leaks are new or have been around for years.
This Bladder Health Awareness Month, take a closer look at symptoms and bladder changes you may be shrugging off, including leaks and bedwetting, and learn how to get the help you need to stay healthy and comfortable.
Can Diabetes Cause Bladder Problems?
Diabetes has been shown to cause bladder problems in two main ways: through high blood glucose and nerve damage. Research has shown that having regularly high blood glucose can cause you to urinate more frequently.
But there’s a neurological factor as well. Over time, diabetes can damage the nerves that signal to your brain that your bladder is full and that it’s time to visit the bathroom.
When those nerves stop responding normally to pressure, your bladder may fail to signal “fullness” in the way that it naturally should.
Urine can then stay in the bladder longer than it should, potentially allowing bacteria to build up in both the bladder and the kidneys. This can lead to urinary tract infections and other potential risks.
What Are the Signs of Diabetes-Related Bladder Problems?
There are signs you can watch for, especially if you have been diagnosed (or think you may be) with diabetes. They primarily fall into four main groups:
| Sign | What you may notice | Why it may happen |
|---|---|---|
| Frequent or urgent urination | Feel the need or sudden urge to go more often than usual, or wake up frequently at night to use the bathroom. In a child, this can look like sudden thirst and spending a lot of time in the bathroom. | High blood glucose can increase urination and urgency. |
| Trouble emptying | You may find it difficult to fully empty your bladder, or feel a lingering need to use the restroom after you’ve gone. | Nerve damage can reduce the signals that tell you your bladder is full. |
| Leaks | You may leak when you cough or sneeze, or the sudden urge can be so strong that you leak before you can reach the bathroom. You may also leak small amounts, even right after you think you have emptied your bladder. In a child, bedwetting or daytime accidents after a stretch of staying dry. | Nerve damage, extra weight, and bladder infections are often involved. Leaks can also have causes unrelated to diabetes, so it helps to get them checked. |
| Bladder infections | Burning when you urinate, strong urges with little urine, lower belly discomfort, or cloudy, bloody, or strong-smelling urine. | People with diabetes have a higher risk, and urine that stays in the bladder can add to it. |
Many of these symptoms can “creep in” slowly. You may brush off bladder problems as simply age- or stress-related, and some blame their coffee intake for it.
But if you experience one or more of these symptoms, it’s wise to speak with your healthcare provider (or your child’s pediatrician or diabetes care team) to rule out any potential diabetes-related causes.
Is It Diabetes, Incontinence, or Both?
Leaks do not always point to diabetes. Incontinence has several causes, and diabetes is only one of them. Cleveland Clinic describes four common types:
- Stress incontinence: leaks during activities like coughing, sneezing, or exercise.
- Urge incontinence: an intense need to go right away, sometimes with a leak before you reach the bathroom.
- Overflow incontinence: the bladder does not empty completely, so urine leaks out. Diabetes-related nerve damage can play a part here.
- Mixed incontinence: a combination of more than one type.
The type matters because it shapes the plan. Whatever you are noticing, leaks are common, there are options to help, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Tell your provider what is happening, even if you are not sure it is connected to diabetes.
What Raises Your Risk of Bladder Problems With Diabetes?
Any bladder change is worth calling your provider, even if it seems small at first. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says that bladder problems could be an early sign that your diabetes care plan needs an update.
NIDDK also lists a variety of other potential risk factors that could make diabetes-related bladder problems more likely:
- Blood glucose that is not well controlled
- Nerve damage (neuropathy)
- Untreated high blood pressure or high cholesterol
- Overweight or obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Certain medicines
- Heavy alcohol use
- Smoking
You can address some of these with your provider, and none of them mean you’ve done anything wrong.
The most important thing is to note what you’re experiencing and not delay communicating with your doctor or other medical provider to develop a plan moving forward.
What About Bedwetting in Children With Diabetes?
Bladder trouble from nerve damage can develop after many years of diabetes, so it’s less common in children. But that’s not to say that kids with diabetes don’t still have bladder symptoms. Some changes are worth calling your child’s pediatrician or diabetes care team about.
Watch for a child who suddenly needs to go all the time, starts wetting the bed or having accidents after being dry, or complains of burning when they urinate.
These can point to high blood glucose or a urinary tract infection, and your care team can help identify the cause as soon as you notice concerning symptoms. You don’t need to wait for the next scheduled visit.
Bedwetting is common in childhood, and most of the time it is not a sign of diabetes. The NIDDK says bedwetting tends to fade as children mature. Still, Mayo Clinic notes that for a child who is usually dry at night, bed-wetting may be the first sign of diabetes. It suggests talking with a doctor if a child starts wetting the bed after a few months of being dry at night.
What Can Help Bladder Problems?
Depending on the issue, several options are available. First, your provider will likely order blood and urine tests to determine the cause of your bladder problems or discomfort.
Based on the test results, your doctor can develop a plan to treat and manage your bladder symptoms.
For instance, your doctor may want you to keep your blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, and other markers near target levels. Getting active and quitting smoking may also help. Medication is also a potential option.
If leaks are part of the picture, ask about ways to stay comfortable and dry while you and your provider work out the cause, including absorbent products.
If your bladder doesn’t empty well on its own, your provider may discuss a catheter. Intermittent and indwelling catheters are the two main options, and your provider will decide which is best for your situation.
Need Bladder Care Supplies? UroStat Can Help
If your provider determines that catheters are necessary for your bladder management, then finding the right catheter is likely part of the plan.
Catheters are not the only option. UroStat also offers incontinence supplies, so we can help whether your plan includes catheters, incontinence products, or both.
UroStat Healthcare can help by working with Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers to manage paperwork for your bladder care supplies, so you can focus on healing and comfort.
Supply coverage depends on your particular plan and state, but your insurance may cover some supplies if you qualify. You can learn more about getting insurance-covered catheter supplies to see how the process works.
Want to learn more? Call 888-845-8698 or check your eligibility online to see if you may qualify.