Waking up in the middle of the night wanting to urinate is quite common, but what happens if you wake up wanting to go to the toilet to poop? It happens to many people, and the story should not be normalized.
The usual thing is to try to decipher what causes this urge to defecate. Could your health be at risk? Nighttime bowel movements are considered a red flag and may indicate that something is wrong. There may be some factor that activates intestinal receptors to stimulate a bowel movement during the night.
Factors that cause going to the night service
When we experience an episode of this type, we are aware that our body feels strange. It should not be a habit, nor should we ignore it. If you wake up wanting to go poo, one of these reasons could be the cause.
You have an infection
A gastrointestinal infection can be caused by bacteria or viruses. If you do get the stomach flu, for example, watery diarrhea can be one of the symptoms along with abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, or a low-grade fever. It may be difficult to hear, but you have to put up with this.
In most cases, vital GI infections clear up on their own. You just have to take things easy and constantly replenish fluids. In this case, you can take natural water and oral serum to replace vitamins and minerals. See a doctor in case it is necessary to take a stool sample to identify the bacteria or virus and recommend a treatment that alleviates the symptoms.
You have a digestive condition
Some inflammatory bowel diseases can be Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These are marked by long-term inflammation that eventually damages the gastrointestinal tract. Outbreaks of these conditions can affect you at night and wake you up to poop.
You have to be attentive to other symptoms that accompany the stool to know how to differentiate an intestinal disease from another cause. Some people may have other symptoms such as weight loss, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, fecal urgency, or oral ulcers in addition to nocturnal bowel movements.
Waking up to poop every now and then doesn’t have to be a problem, but if it becomes a chronic, regular habit where you sleep and wake up and are physically forced to poop, it could be a sign that you need the poop. care of a doctor. Tests such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, MRI, or CT scan, as well as stool samples and blood tests, are typically performed for use in diagnosis.
Medications with side effects
If you are taking a new medication, you may have urges in the middle of the night. Consider any recently prescribed or over-the-counter medications you are taking. Typically, medications such as antibiotics, NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen), chemotherapy drugs, and those that contain magnesium can be all to blame.
Antibiotics, for example, can change the balance of intestinal bacteria and cause diarrhea. That is why some doctors recommend taking a stomach protector beforehand.
Food poisoning
This is usually one of the main causes of going to the toilet in the middle of the night. Maybe it’s the chicken you ordered to eat, a can of tuna, or a couple of glasses of alcohol. Any of these reasons could make you spend the night running to the bathroom.
Gastrointestinal foodborne infections trigger the activation of the immune system and the release of cytokines that can act directly on the intestine and stimulate diarrhea. They can also produce toxins that damage the gut, another factor that contributes to loose stools and urgency. But don’t worry, you will recover slowly.
If it doesn’t stop in 24 hours or you have a fever and blood, see a doctor to really test the poisoning.
