How Your Nighttime Urination Could Be Related to Venous Insufficiency

How Your Nighttime Urination Could Be Related to Venous Insufficiency

Having to use the bathroom frequently, especially at night when you are trying to rest, can be a hassle in itself. When you consider that frequent nighttime urination is also the sign of a serious underlying medical condition, it can become reason for great concern. Furthermore, nighttime urination is oftentimes not a symptom that appears on its own, usually arriving in addition to an abundance of other painful and uncomfortable symptoms, such as leg cramps, edema, and fatigue.

During a normal day, you likely experience different moments of “leg dependency” – these are the times when you are sitting, standing, or walking – when your body is generally in a vertical position. For a person with venous insufficiency, the hydrostatic pressure that results from being in a vertical position forces water and protein found in their weakened veins to leak into the surrounding tissue. This is why patients who report nighttime urination also report swelling in their legs and ankles, swelling that is worse towards their feet and which gradually worsens throughout the day.

When a person then lays down to sleep at the end of the day, the lack of hydrostatic pressure in their horizontal position then tricks the kidneys into believing there is an excess of fluid in the blood and arteries. After this mixture of blood and serum is filtered through the kidneys, it is stored in the bladder as urine, alerting the brain of the need to urinate as it becomes full. Throughout the night, as more and more fluid accumulates, a person will have to use the bathroom more and more; many patients with venous insufficiency report using the restroom as many as six or seven times each night.

It is normal for anyone to experience a certain amount of edema, or swelling, in their legs throughout the day, and it is even normal to have to use the bathroom once or twice during the night. However, if you are going to the bathroom at night more often than this, then it may be time to address whether or not you have venous insufficiency. If the problem is left unaddressed, not only do you put yourself at risk for developing deep vein thrombosis, a serious condition that can result in fatal embolisms, but you’ll also notice small disruptions in your day-to-day life and cognitive performance, such as a short attention span or difficulty concentrating, as well as irritability from lack of sleep.

Fortunately, varicose veins and venous insufficiency are conditions that are easily addressed through a wide range of minimally invasive treatments available today. In addition, certain lifestyle adjustments can make a huge difference in your comfort level and oftentimes alleviate many of the symptoms experienced with venous disorders. If you have noticed a change in your nighttime bathroom habits, and have experienced any other symptoms associated with problems in your vein health, then please contact Dr. Zuzga of the West Florida Vein Center by calling (727) 712-3233.