Patient's question:
My son is 2 and a half years old. Recently, he has been urinating frequently at night, sometimes 5 or 6 times per night. Is this normal?Doctor's answer:
Normal adults urinate 4 to 6 times during the day and 0 to 2 times at night. A significant increase in the frequency of urination is called urinary frequency. Urinary frequency is a symptom, not a disease. Multiple factors can cause an increase in the frequency of urination without pain, which is also known as frequent urination. There are many causes of urinary frequency, including neurological and psychological factors, post-illness weakness, parasitic diseases, etc. For children with urinary frequency, it is necessary to rule out urinary tract infections, external genital inflammation, or penile inflammation.Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that frequent urination is primarily caused by children's weak constitution, insufficient kidney qi, the inability of the bladder to hold urine, and impaired transformation and discharge. Additionally, excessive fatigue, weakness in the spleen and lungs, upper deficiency unable to control the lower, earth deficiency unable to control water, and weak bladder qi can lead to frequent urination. Therefore, urinary frequency is often a sign of deficiency, requiring nourishment. It is recommended to consume more plant-based foods rich in organic active alkaloids, reduce meat intake, and increase vegetable consumption.