Facts About Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

Many women have a silent concern due to urinary incontinence. It somehow seems taboo to talk about the problem, even with a regular doctor or gynecologist. There are approximately 25 million Americans who suffer from some type of urinary incontinence and as many as 80 percent of them are women. Pregnancy, giving birth, going through menopause and even the unique structure of the female urinary anatomy contribute to the disparity between male and female sufferers.

Urinary incontinence is defined as the unintentional loss or leakage of urine. The term “stress incontinence” means that when the body is under exertion it puts pressure on your bladder and the bladder leaks. Some triggers for stress incontinence include running, coughing, sneezing, bending or heavy lifting.

Bladder Retraining

The bladder is controlled by muscles and it can be trained. You may wish to keep a voiding diary, noting things like times of urination, duration between bathroom trips, types of food or beverages that seem to trigger urgency or frequency of bathroom trips. This journal describing your symptoms and potential causes can help if you need to visit a urologist for treatment.

As you establish baselines for your urinary problem, you can start behavior modification and training your bladder. Here’s how to do it:

  • Schedule Your Bathroom Breaks

Start by scheduling bathroom visits. Increase the time periods between those breaks by adding 15-minute increments. Visit the bathroom even if you don’t feel you need to go. You will be working toward longer and longer stretches of time between breaks.

  • Perform Kegel Exercises

When you learn to isolate the muscles that control urine flow, you can practice having more control by performing Kegel exercises while sitting, standing or during urination.

Other Tips to Prevent Overactive Bladder:

  • In addition to bladder retraining, you may want to eliminate or limit beverages that increase the need for urinating, like coffee, tea or caffeinated sodas.
  • Drink fewer fluids before bedtime.

Treating Overactive Bladder With Behavioral Modifications

You needn’t feel alone when you have urinary incontinence. Make an appointment with a urologist who is trained to deal with your condition. Your doctor may take any of the following approaches beyond what you can do on your own:

  • Recommend biofeedback,
  • Send urine or drawn blood to the lab to determine how completely you empty your bladder.
  • Prescribe medicine to address bladder function or tighten muscles.
  • Employ a medical device, such as a urethral insert or a pessary.
  • Try nerve stimulation, using a mild electric current to nerves in the bladder that help control urination.
  • Suggest surgery if indicated.

If you have stress incontinence, you may be limiting yourself from fully participating in life events. Seek treatment from experts like those at St Pete Urology, where surgeons perform hundreds of successful sling surgery procedures every year. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

Nephrolithotomy for Treating Kidney Stones

What is nephrolithotomy? The complete surgical procedure name is called percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL). It is a procedure used to remove kidney stones. If the stone is too large to go through the tube, the surgical procedure is called percutaneous nephrolithotripsy, because the surgeon must first break the stone into pieces small enough to be removed from the body. So far as the patient is concerned, there are no differences between the two procedures.

PNL is done:

  1. When the stones are stuck in the ureter (which is the urine tube between the kidney and the bladder)
  2. The stones are blocking more than one branch of the kidney’s collecting system
  3. The stones are nearly an inch in diameter (2 cm or larger)
  4. The patient has other types of infections at the same time
  5. When other treatments have failed, such as the use of an external ultrasound lithotripsy (SWL)

PNL requires general anesthesia. The urologist surgeon will make a small incision in the patient’s back, through which a nephroscope tube will be inserted in the patient’s back and into the kidney. The scope tube has a camera and other tools as needed to remove the stone, including a small vacuum.

During that procedure, the doctor will usually place a ureteral stent to prevent certain types of pain for the time of the operation and the first two days afterward while the kidney is healing. A foley catheter also will be inserted to drain the bladder. Another drain will be placed through the surgical incision area to help to directly drain the kidney of urine. Because it takes time for basic healing to take place, the procedure typically requires a three-day inpatient stay.

The risks may include bleeding, temporary holes in the kidney, injury to other organs, such as the bladder or the colon, and other types of damage to normal kidney function. However, PNL has less than a 10 percent recurrence rate for kidney stones, making it one of the most effective approaches for treating them. In rare cases, there may be incomplete stone removal. As with all surgeries, infection may occur.

There will be several follow-up visits to the urologist. Patients usually can be back to work within one or two weeks.

St Pete Urology has the urologists who know how to compassionately work with patients throughout the treatment process. From early diagnosis, through the surgery, and by effective follow-up visits, the patents can know they are in the care of competent urological specialists. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

Treating Voiding Dysfunction in Women

Voiding dysfunction is a problem that affects women in increasing numbers, and it can be an embarrassing condition that curtails daily activities. Voiding dysfunction can take several forms, including urinary incontinence, painful urination and interstitial cystitis. Women over 40 are especially susceptible and it can be uncomfortable subject to bring up in conversations with doctors.

Preliminary Diagnosis

Although your primary care doctor can perform simple testing for a urinary tract infection, you may save time and discomfort by seeing a qualified urologist first. Some urological procedures for diagnosis include:

  1. Urinalysis
  2. Uroflow electromyogram (EMG)
  3. Abdominal X rays (KUB)
  4. Cystoscopy
  5. Uroflowmetry

Initial Care for Voiding Dysfunction

Your primary care doctor may recommend dietary changes such as reducing the amount of alcohol and caffeine you consume. Your doctor may even warn you about the use of tobacco if you are a smoker.

Kegel Exercises

Kegel exercises are often effective at improving voiding dysfunction in the form of bladder leakage in women. Kegel exercises (or Kegels) simply increase the strength of the pelvic floor, and can be done in bed or while emptying the bladder. However, there are instances when the woman’s pelvic floor is too tight and Kegels are not recommended. A urologist can diagnose and recommend the appropriate treatment for the various types of voiding dysfunction.

Additional treatments for voiding dysfunction include muscle relaxants, pelvic floor therapy, self-catheterization and insertion of a neuromodulation device.

Painful Urination and Treatment

Besides being unable to control bladder flow, painful urination is another dysfunction associated with voiding. You may be diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. Some refer to the condition as BPS (bladder pain syndrome). Interstitial cystitis is associated with bladder pain, overactive bladder, bladder distention and, at times, bladder stones.

Once your physician has isolated the source of the problem, he or she may recommend a medication that allows the bladder to relax.

Why Get Diagnosed and Treated for Voiding Dysfunction

Successful treatment of voiding dysfunction will allow you to enjoy life better, with:

  1. Fewer accidents
  2. More control over where and when you void your bladder
  3. Longer intervals between needing to urinate

For those who live in the St Petersburg, Tampa or Clearwater areas, St Pete Urology offers treatment and relief of this condition. Schedule a consultation today to learn how our experienced team offers the most advanced technology, minimally invasive surgery options and compassionate care.

How to tell if your prostate is enlarged?

The prostate gland is an integral part of the male reproductive system. It secretes seminal fluid, which nourishes sperm as they grow and facilitates their transportation during ejaculation. It is located between the bladder and the rectum and surrounds the base of the urethra. Due to its location next to key parts of the urinary system, the health of the prostate gland tends to have a direct impact on the health of a man’s urinary system.

The prostate gland grows larger as a man ages. While this gradual enlargement is normal, by the time a majority of men turn 50, the prostate has reached a size where it may start to affect the normal functioning of the urinary organs near it. It is at this point that a man is said to have an enlarged prostate, or clinically speaking, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).

Signs and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate

An enlarged prostate presses, pinches or causes a blockage in the urethra. The urethra carries urine from the bladder to outside the body. The direct effects of an enlarged prostate are manifested by difficulty in the discharge of urine. These difficulties could be in the form of:

1. Frequent and sudden urges to discharge urine;

2. Difficulty starting a urine stream;

3. Weak urine stream; and

4. Dribbling urine.

If left untreated, the effects of an enlarged prostate can cause the following complications:

1. Acute Urine retention. This is a complete inability to pass urine. Medical attention must be sought immediately if this occurs;

2. Urinary tract infections;

3. Blood in the urine;

4. Pain when passing urine; and

5. Pain in the lower abdomen.

Sometimes an enlarged prostate does not produce symptoms. When this occurs in some men, it may not even be possible to diagnose the condition because it gives them no trouble at all.

The key to diagnosing and treating an enlarged prostate lies with frequent prostate monitoring by a qualified urologist. Men approaching age 50 should get tested or at least keep a watch out for any of the symptoms listed above. The good news is there are many successful treatment options for the condition. Our specialists at St Pete Urology are experienced and well qualified to help with any questions, concerns and treatment. If you think you may have an enlarged prostate, or are experiencing any problems, by all means contact us. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

Can a vasectomy fail?

A vasectomy is a form of male contraception that is administered through a minor surgical procedure. During a vasectomy, the patient’s vas deferens are cut and the ends are tied up or seared so they are blocked. The vas deferens is made up of two narrow tubes that transport sperm to the ejaculatory duct during ejaculation. A vasectomy inhibits the transportation of the sperm to the duct, so only seminal fluid is discharged when a man ejaculates. The absence of sperm removes the possibility of conception. A vasectomy is considered to be the most efficient form of birth control. However, there are instances, though very rare, in which pregnancy occurs even after the man has had a vasectomy.

Reasons why a vasectomy may fail

1. Recanalization

This is a medical term for when the cut vas deferens reconnect and revert to something like what they were before the vasectomy. This process happens naturally when tissue from the cut ends gradually grows until the two ends reach one another and reconnect.

Tiny channels also can form in the healing scar tissue of the snipped vas deferens and provide a passageway for sperm from one end of the vas deferens to the other.

2. Surgical error

In very rare cases, surgeons have been known to make an error during the procedure. This might mean either that the vasectomy was not done at all or that it was done in a manner that might cause it to fail.

Such errors could be:

a. Cutting one vas deferens and leaving the other;

b. The surgeon cuts completely different tubes that are not the vas deferens; and

c. In the very rare cases where the patient has duplicated vas deferens, that is to say two vas deferens on each side rather than one on each side as is the normal case, and the urologist cuts only one of the two .

d. Having intercourse too soon

Men who have had vasectomies are always advised to avoid having sex too soon, and if they do, to use another form of contraception. This is because semen does not become clear of sperm immediately after the vasectomy. The standard practice is to wait for three months after the procedure. After the three months, a urologist should conduct a semen analysis and advise accordingly.

Vasectomies are largely successful. Any man considering it has absolutely no reason to fear that it will fail because they rarely do. However, after undergoing the procedure, the patient must take care to observe all guidelines given by the urologist. A little anxiety before the procedure might be expected but the advice of a trained urologist, such as those available at St Pete Urology should dispel the worry. The team of specialists at St. Pete Urology can help with questions, consultation, surgery and follow up steps for a vasectomy. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

How to Prevent Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction is a condition that prevents a man from getting or maintaining an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. The failure to sustain an erection may happen occasionally in healthy men and this should not be a reason to panic. One is said to have erectile dysfunction only when the inability to sustain an erection is sustained over a period of time. The risk of having erectile dysfunction increases with age, with about 50 percent of men over the age of 40 having the condition. Recent research also indicates an increase in the cases of erectile dysfunction in men in their 30s.Erectile dysfunction is treatable. Even so, it does inhibit a patient’s sexual performance, and in some cases, confidence. It comes as good news, therefore, that the condition is not only treatable, it is also preventable.

Preventing Erectile Dysfunction

The ways in which erectile dysfunction may be prevented fall into two categories:

1. Maintaining good overall health.

The sexual health of an individual is determined by his general health. If his overall health is failing, it will only be a matter of time before this starts to affect one’s sexual ability. One way of preventing erectile dysfunction therefore lies in maintaining good overall health. To this end, the following are recommended:

a. Maintain healthy body weight. A healthy balanced diet and regular exercise go a long way to keep body weight at a desired level. This protects you from obesity and other lifestyle diseases which might cause erectile dysfunction.

b. Avoid excessive use of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. Taking these may, in the long run, lead to diseases of the heart or interfere with the functioning of blood vessels. Interfering with blood flow may reduce the amount of blood going into the penis, thus causing erectile dysfunction.

2. Managing Underlying chronic diseases

Erectile dysfunction often arises as a result of an underlying illness. For example, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses have a tendency of interfering with the flow of blood to the penis. In addition to these, mental issues such as depression or crippling anxiety may cause erectile dysfunction. In such cases, the key to dealing with erectile dysfunction is in fighting the underlying illness. A patient with one of these conditions will be advised to, among other things:

a. Take medication as advised by the attending doctor;

b. Consult with the doctor to see if treatment for erectile dysfunction may be administered independently without affecting the treatment of the underlying illness; and

c. Seek therapy and treatment for mental health conditions.

Erectile dysfunction can be prevented by simply choosing to live a healthy lifestyle. For those already suffering from erectile dysfunction, there is no need to panic as the condition is very treatable. Our team of specialists at St. Pete Urology can help with any questions, consultation, diagnosis and treatment options for erectile dysfunction. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

What to Know About Overactive Bladder

Like the name suggests, an overactive bladder is a bladder that does more than it should. The normal functioning of a bladder is that as urine drains from the kidneys to fill the bladder, nerve signals in the brain communicate the need to discharge the urine. The urge to urinate grows gradually so a person can delay the passage of urine for a while. During the discharge of urine, the bladder contracts, letting out the urine through the urethra.

An overactive bladder contracts suddenly and involuntarily, so a patient cannot hold the urine. It also contracts often, even when it contains just a little urine. This forces the patient to take numerous bathroom breaks. Due to the frequency and suddenness of the contractions, an overactive bladder is known to cause the leaking of urine, otherwise known as urine incontinence. It affects both men and women.

Causes of an Overactive Bladder

An overactive bladder cannot be attributed to one single cause or factor. In most cases, it is caused by a combination of factors. These include:

1. Serious case of a urinary tract infection;

2. A neurological disorder that damages the communication of nerves in the brain and in the bladder;

3. Bladder complications such as bladder stones or tumors;

4. Stroke and multiple sclerosis;

5. Acute urine retention. When urine is retained in the bladder for long, there is no longer space for storage of urine. This may result in an overactive bladder;

6. Pelvic organ prolapse in women and benign prostate hyperplasia in men; and

7. Diabetes.

Social and Emotional Impact of an Overactive Bladder

Patients with an overactive bladder often worry a great deal about stigma. They find the frequent bathroom visits embarrassing and the fear of leaking urine in any social or work environment can be debilitating. These fears affect the normal day to day life of a patient and make it necessary to seek treatment as soon as possible.

Treatment of an Overactive Bladder

A patient can receive treatment in the form of medication, injections and in few cases, minimally invasive surgical procedures. Very often these treatment options are combined with physical therapy and behavioral modifications. Such modifications include:

1. Kegel exercises. These are administered to help strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor;

2. Exercise aimed at achieving and maintaining a healthy weight;

3. Going on scheduled bathroom visits; and

4. Use of absorbent pads.

An overactive bladder is manageable and treatable. In order to avoid the difficulties that accompany the condition, it is advisable to seek the help of a qualified urologist for a proper diagnosis followed up by efficient treatment. Our team of experts at St. Pete Urology can help with any questions, as well as diagnosis and treatment of an overactive bladder. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

Why Do I Keep Getting UTIs?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by bacteria or E.coli in the organs of the urinary tract — the kidneys, ureters, urethra and the bladder. Most UTIs affect the urethra and the bladder alone. While UTIs affect both men and women, the rate of prevalence and recurrence is higher among women, with about 50 percent of all women expected to contract the infection at least once in their life time and 20-30 percent expected to suffer a recurrence.
The high prevalence of UTIs among women is attributed to the fact that the urethra in women is shorter than in men. The urethra in women is placed closer to both the anus and the vagina. Bacteria from the anus and those that enter the vagina during intercourse have only to travel the short length of the urethra to reach the bladder. Besides gender, the other risk factor for UTIs for both genders is advanced age.

Causes of recurrence

A case of UTI is said to be recurrent or persistent if a patient contracts at least four infections in a period of one year. Recurrence of UTIs occurs almost solely among women. Other than the positioning of the urethra in their bodies, this recurrence may be caused by factors such as:

1. Failure to complete a dose of antibiotics. Once the benefits of taking the prescribed antibiotics start to manifest, some patients stop taking the drug because they think the UTI has cleared. Urologists discourage this behavior and advise patients to complete the dose to reduce the chances of any left over bacteria causing a recurrence.

2. Sex is a risk factor. Sexually active women face a higher risk of contracting a UTI because of the transmission of bacteria during intercourse. The risk can be reduced by urinating before and after sex or by taking an antibiotic before or after sex if a doctor prescribes it.

3. Post-menopausal hormonal changes. Menopause lowers estrogen levels in women causing an imbalance in the bacteria in the vagina. This makes women susceptible to infection and recurrence. A urologist can prescribe a vaginal estrogen cream to remedy the problem.

Women are genetically predisposed to contracting UTIs, both because of their anatomy and hormonal changes as they get older. But UTIs in women are highly treatable and are only rarely very serious. If anyone experiences persistent infections, she should seek the advice of expert urologists, such as those found in St. Pete Urology. The experienced specialists at St. Pete Urology can offer consultation, diagnosis and treatment for any UTI problems. For more information, visit the “St Pete Urology” site.

What Can You Do To Reduce The Risk of Having Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hard, crystallized minerals that form in the kidneys that may spread to other organs in the urinary tract such as the bladder and the ureter. They form when urine becomes so concentrated with minerals that the minerals crystallize and harden. Often stones are formed from a fusion of calcium and oxalate or phosphorus. Symptoms of kidney stones include trouble passing urine, excruciating pain when passing urine, pain in the groin, below the ribs and in the abdomen, blood in the urine and frequent urination. While reports indicate that the prevalence of kidney stones has grown in modern times, the condition still remains a preventable one.

Ways of preventing Kidney Stones

1. Cut down on sodium intake
A heavy sodium intake causes a proportionate increase in the amount of calcium in urine, creating a good chance of kidney stone formation. Processed and canned foods are known to contain high amounts of sodium. It is advisable to reduce one’s consumption of such foods.

2. Staying hydrated
Drinking enough water and other fluids is one of the best and easiest ways to prevent kidney stones. Water dilutes urine, making it less concentrated. A shortage of fluid in the body translates into just a little concentrated urine. Urine salts are more likely to crystallize and form stones because there is insufficient water to dissolve them.

3. Consumption of foods rich in calcium
Even if most stones have aspects of calcium, calcium rich foods such as milk and cheese prevent the likelihood of kidney stone recurrence. This is because the levels of oxalate, which is a stone forming mineral, increase with decreasing levels of calcium. Calcium should be maintained at a good level.

4. Cut down on the intake of animal proteins and fructose
Organ meats, red meat, seafood and poultry contain a compound known as purine which contributes to the formation of kidney stones, specifically uric acid stones. The same goes for foods with high fructose, with corn syrup specifically being one to avoid. Managing the intake of these foods should go a long way in preventing stones from forming.

In addition to watching one’s diet, medical professionals advise that people should obtain a good amount of exercise to prevent weight related disorders such as obesity.

Kidney stones are very painful and, in this instance, there is no question that prevention is much better than cure. If you discover that you have kidney stones, you should seek medical attention immediately. For those interested in prevention only, reading up on the subject can offer practical ways to avoid having kidney stones. The staff of specialists at St. Pete Urology also are able to help with diagnosis, prevention and treatment of kidney stones. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

5 Facts Men Need to Know About Vasectomy Reversal

Vasectomy is a form of male contraception. It is achieved through surgically cutting or sealing the vas deferens, which transport sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct during ejaculation. The result is that during ejaculation, the semen ejaculated does not contain sperm. Vasectomies are so efficient in preventing conception that for a long time they have been considered as a form of sterilization. The reality, however, is that with modern medicine, a vasectomy does not have to equal sterilization. It can be reversed through a procedure called a Vasectomy Reversal.

Facts about Vasectomy Reversal

A vasectomy reversal aims at rejoining the cut ends of the epididymis or unblocking them if they had been sealed. Important facts include:

1. It is a precise but outpatient procedure. A vasectomy takes about two hours. The patient can go home the same day. The fact that it is an outpatient procedure, however, should not take away from the fact that vasectomy reversal is a very precise operation that makes use of micro surgical techniques. The sutures made are extremely fine.

2. High success rate. Vasectomy reversal procedures are reported to have a success rate of over 90 percent. Even so, patients should appreciate that the rate of conception will be influenced by factors beyond themselves, such as the fertility of their partner. As such, conception may not happen immediately.

3. The procedure. A vasectomy reversal involves making two incisions on the side of the scrotum through which the vas deferens can be accessed. The surgeon then cuts open the tied or sealed ends and sutures them together.

4. Age of the vasectomy may affect success rate. Reports indicate that vasectomies done not more than ten years ago have the highest success rates. The success rate starts to decline when the vasectomy was performed more than fifteen years ago.

5. Short recovery period. Due to its relatively minor nature, a vasectomy reversal heals quickly and requires little after care. Patients, however, are advised to wait at least six weeks before they return to having sex.

The success of a vasectomy reversal requires almost pinpoint accuracy. A patient, therefore, should place a great deal of weight on the experience and training of the urological specialist or surgeon who does the procedure. St. Pete Urology has a strong track record of experienced specialists who can work with the individual in determining what is the best plan for him and answer questions or concerns. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.