Background: Nocturnal enuresis represents a practical, social and emotional problem. The present study illustrates the advantage of using hypnosis as a therapy in chronic cases.
Material: Twelve boys, median age 12 years (range 8-16), eight with primary nocturnal enuresis and four with primary nocturnal and diurnal enuresis, reported at referral a median of 0 (range 0-3) dry nights per week. All patients had a family history of enuresis and had used enuresis alarm and Desmopressin; 50% used Imipramin. Eight had been referred to psychological or psychiatric services for treatment.
Methods: All patients had undergone a somatic assessment by a paediatrician, a paediatric surgeon, or an urologist. After a preliminary assessment of motivation, they underwent hypnotherapy with a median of six sessions (range 2-8), followed by median one month with self-hypnosis exercises.
Results: At follow-up after three months and one year, nine out of 12 patients had respectively 6-7/7, and 7/7 dry nights per week. Three patients had nocturnal enuresis at follow-up; two of them were referred to a paediatric surgeon for their overactive urine bladder and one was referred to his local psychiatric clinic because of ongoing family conflicts.
Interpretation: Hypnotherapy had lasting effects for boys with chronic and complex forms of nocturnal enuresis. We suggest that hypnotherapy should be included in the therapeutic guidelines.