Why Interstim Therapy is For Both Men and Women

For men who suffer from embarrassing and frustrating bladder control problems like retention and overactive bladder, it is typically difficult to control when and how much you urinate. As a result, you may be compelled to cut back on your everyday activities, feeling trapped by the fear of accidental leaks and being unduly preoccupied with your bladder. Unfortunately, you also may find out that common treatments such as behavior modification, drugs, dietary changes, use of catheters to empty your bladder or pelvic floor exercises do not effectively treat your symptoms. What can you do when traditional treatments for bladder problems fail or are intolerable? Never despair. Instead, just visit a competent urologist to administer InterStim therapy.

What is InterStim Therapy?

Also called Sacral Nerve Stimulation (SNS), InterStim is a reversible therapy for treatment of urinary incontinence, urgency (frequency), urinary retention and overactive bladder. It involves implanting an InterStim device (neurostimulator) into the skin in order to send mild electrical pulses to the sacral nerves (nerves located above the tailbone) which control the bladder and muscles associated with urinary function. As a result, the electrical stimulation of the sacral nerves promotes communication between the brain and bladder, improves bladder control functions and eliminates symptoms of overactive bladder and urinary incontinence.

Effective for Both Men and Women

Many people tend to consider InterStim therapy as an exclusive treatment for women with bladder control problems. In truth, however, the therapy is also ideal for men who have failed medications, experience serious adverse effects with bladder medications or do not like using catheters to empty their bladder. Incontinence is a common problem affecting both men and women and any person experiencing the problem can explore InterStim therapy as an effective and convenient option regardless of their sex.

How is the Procedure Performed?

InterStim therapy is a two-stage process involving minimally invasive testing (test stimulation) and the eventual placement of the InterStim device. The urologist conducts the non-invasive test to determine the possible response to the actual device while allowing patients to see if InterStim would be appropriate for them. After successful testing, the InterStim device is placed using a minimally invasive technique in which small and inconspicuous incisions are made on the skin.

InterStim improves the quality of life and will help you to return to your normal life quickly with no more worries of accidental urine leaks. Doctors at St Pete Urology have conducted hundreds of InterStim therapy since the device was approved by the FDA. We help both men and women regain their confidence and dignity. For more information on treatment of bladder control problems, visit the site, St Pete Urology.

Top 3 Questions Frequently Asked by Women about Vasectomy

For couples who have made the decision not to have any more children, vasectomy is a trustworthy and effective birth control method. Though performed on a man, vasectomy is a permanent birth control method with 99.85 percent efficacy and a guarantee that the woman will not have unwanted pregnancies in the future. It does not interfere with a man’s sex drive, erections, orgasm and ejaculation and is only accompanied by temporary discomfort in men. But as with men, many women have worries about the procedure and are concerned whether it can hurt their relationships, sexually and emotionally. Here are the top 3 FAQs women ask about vasectomy.

1. Is vasectomy a perfect form of contraception?

As a permanent means of preventing pregnancy that works through the cutting of the vas deferens, tubes carrying sperm from the testes to the penis, vasectomy ensures sperm does not exit the penis during ejaculation. After the procedure, a man’s body continues to produce sperm, but the secreted sperm die and get reabsorbed by the body. A man cannot make a woman pregnant after vasectomy as long as the couple has used an alternative birth control method for the first 8-12 weeks after the procedure to allow the sperm count in the semen to drop to zero. Once the man has had a follow up test of the semen to confirm there is a zero sperm count, the couple can enjoy sexual activity without any more worries of pregnancy or need for other birth control methods.

2. Is vasectomy easier and more effective than tubal ligation?

Women can have their “tubes tied” surgically by a gynecologist. Tubal ligation is the closing of the fallopian tubes to prevent sperm from reaching an egg (ovum). When not undertaken during a caesarian section (C-section), tubal ligation is a complex procedure requiring a hospital setting, abdominal incisions and general anesthesia, posing a greater risk of complications such as scar tissue, bleeding and longer recovery. On the other hand, vasectomy is a less complex 15-20-minute procedure often performed by a urologist in an ambulatory surgery center (or rarely in the doctor’s office or hospital setting) using local anesthesia and accompanied with minimal to mild discomfort. Vasectomy also can be performed using the no-scalpel technique that requires no incisions, ensuring recovery occurs within a few days. In a sense, vasectomy is easier to perform and more effective in preventing pregnancies than tubal ligation.

3. Can vasectomy be reversed?

For women exploring vasectomy as a permanent birth control method, there is usually the question of what happens when life’s circumstances change after having the procedure and there is a need to conceive naturally. What if we lose all our children or find ourselves in a situation where we need a child after years of having a vasectomy? Well, for such couples, the option of vasectomy reversal can be explored. St. Pete Urology Center has a team of skilled and experienced vasectomy reversal urologists offering reversal services with over 90 percent success rate to couples who wish to have the procedure reversed in order to conceive naturally.

Our team of urologists understands that a vasectomy is a major life decision for couples and provides answers to a broad range of questions on the issue. For more information on vasectomy, visit the site, St Pete Urology.

2 Effective Screening Tests for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in men in the United States, currently carrying a lifetime risk for diagnosis of around 15.9 percent. In most cases, prostate cancer shows a good prognosis even when not treated, though some may be quite aggressive. Presently, the lifetime risk of death due to prostate cancer is 2.8 percent, and the condition is quite rare in men younger than 50. In fact, very few men die of the cancer before age 60, and more than 70 percent of the deaths due to the cancer occur after age 75.

Even though prostate cancer typically grows very slowly or not at all, it is still advisable to start screening early before the symptoms appear. Early prostate cancer screening may help to discover any aggressive type of the cancer and ensure prompt treatment. Today, there two most effective and recommended tests for screening are prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE).

PSA

All contemporary recommendations for prostate cancer screening incorporate the prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in serum because there is convincing evidence that PSA-based screening detects many cases of asymptomatic prostate cancer. Studies also have shown that a vast majority of men who have asymptomatic cancer detected through the PSA test have tumors that either will fail to progress or will grow so slowly that they would have shown no symptoms for the patient’s lifetime. If your PSA level is high, your urologist will recommend either waiting for a period and then repeating the test or doing a prostate biopsy to confirm if you have the cancer. When interpreting your PSA results, your urologist will consider many factors, such as race, age and family history.

Digital Rectal Exam (DRE)

During DRE, the urologist inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for any hard areas or bumps on the prostate, which might indicate cancer. The exam may be slightly uncomfortable, but is never painful and just takes a short time. While the digital rectal exam may be less effective than the PSA in detecting prostate cancer, it sometimes can detect cancer in men with normal PSA levels. For this reason it is a critical component of prostate cancer screening.

What next after screening?

PSA and DRE tests are simply used to detect the warning signs of prostate cancer, but in reality they do not actually confirm if you have cancer. If the test results are abnormal, your urologist will use a prostate biopsy for confirmation. If there is cancer, a prostate biopsy also will help determine the aggressiveness and influence the urologist’s decision as to whether or not you need treatment. Not every patient must be treated and those with non-aggressive cancer will just be actively monitored. The decision on whether you get treated is very important and is usually based on results of these tests. For more information on early prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment, visit the site, St Pete urology.

Infographic: Everything You Need to Know About Kidney Stones

Everything You Need to Know About Kidney Stones

People sometimes may have kidney stones for several years without experiencing severe symptoms. The stones may pass out in urine with little pain and just a few mild-to-moderate symptoms. However, whether you have not had a kidney stone or only experienced a little pain when passing a stone, it is advisable to take precautionary steps to avoid more serious problems. For example, eating certain types of foods such as large amounts of lemons and oranges may cause kidney stones. But before eliminating various food items from your diet, you should consult a urologist. The urologist will conduct a proper evaluation of your current health status and provide clear guidance on which foods may cause kidney stones.

Common symptoms

A kidney stone often shows no symptoms until it has moved into the ureter. And when symptoms finally show, they commonly include:

  • Sudden, severe pain in the groin or in the side of your abdomen
  • A burning sensation during urination
  • Pain and difficulty during urination
  • A persistent urge to urinate
  • Reduced quantity of urine excreted
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Blood in urine
  • Pus/white blood cells in urine
  • Chills and fever (if there is an infection)
  • Causes of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones typically vary in size, with some capable of growing as large as golf balls. The most common cause of the stones is lack of water in the body. The condition is often found in people who drink less than the recommended 8-10 glasses of water per day. When there is inadequate water in the body to dilute uric acid (a core component of urine), the urine will become more acidic and create a perfect environment for formation of the stones. Medical conditions like renal tubular acidosis, Dent’s disease, medullary sponge kidney, hyperparathyroidism, urinary tract infections and Crohn’s disease also increase the risk of kidney stones.

For prevention of kidney stones, you should:

  • Drink 2.5-3 liters of water every day
  • Reduce sodium or salt intake in your diet
  • Follow a healthy diet and avoid red meat. Daily or frequent consumption of red meat may cause kidney stones.
  • Exercise regularly and make sure to get enough sleep
  • Quit smoking and avoid alcohol
  • Treatment for kidney stones

The treatment is usually focused on managing the symptoms since passing a stone may be really painful. In the hospital, a urologist may choose:

  • Rehydration via an intravenous tube, accompanied with anti-inflammatory medication. Narcotics may be used to reduce the pain of passing the stones while antiemetic medication may be given to stop nausea and vomiting.
  • Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) may be performed by a urologist to break a kidney stone into small pieces to enable it to pass.
  • Laser surgery with ureteroscopy may be performed for large stones located in areas that do not allow for lithotripsy.
  • PNL/PCNL, flexible ureteroscopy, also may be considered by a urologist.

At St. Pete Urology, we offer many options and state-of-the-art facilities for successful treatment of kidney stones. For more information, visit the site, St Pete Urology.

What is The Prostate and Prostate Enlargement?

The prostate gland (commonly called prostate) is a small, chestnut-sized organ in men located beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum (back passage). The urethra, the tube that passes urine from the bladder to the penis, runs through the prostate. By producing a fluid called prostatic fluid that makes up around 15-30 percent of the total volume of semen, the prostate plays a significant role in the function and viability of sperm cells and is critical for a man’s fertility.

Prostatic fluid contains citric acid, zinc, spermine and prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which protect and enrich sperm and reduces acidity of the vaginal canal. Muscles of the prostate usually press into the urethra during ejaculation, helping sperm to move through the urethra.

What is prostate enlargement?

While the prostate is usually a small gland, it typically grows bigger with age. In fact, from birth to early 20s, the prostate grows by around 8 times its initial size. Then from around the age of 25 to early 50s the prostate doubles in size and continues to grow gradually. It is this second phase of growth of the gland which, in later years, results in a non-cancerous condition called benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

As the prostate grows larger, it causes the muscles at the base of the bladder to become thicker and pressures the urethra to become narrower. By squeezing the urethra more tightly, the enlarged prostate makes it difficult to urinate. The bladder also may become more sensitive, causing a need to pass urine more frequently and suddenly. In some cases, prostate enlargement may cause a blockage that triggers repeated urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney damage, and acute urinary retention (sudden inability to pass urine).

How common is prostate enlargement?

Although prostate growth continues almost throughout a man’s life, the resulting enlargement does not usually cause serious problems until late in life. An enlarged prostate hardly causes symptoms before the age of 40, but some symptoms occur in half of men in their 60s and in up to 90 percent of men in their 70s and 80s. In the United States, as many as 14 million men experience lower urinary tract problems related to benign prostatic hyperplasia while at least 400,000 annual hospital stays involve a diagnosis of prostate enlargement.

You are more likely to have BPH if:

  • You are 40 or older.
  • You have a family history of BPH.
  • You lack physical exercise.
  • You have erectile dysfunction.
  • You have medical conditions like type-II diabetes, obesity, circulatory and heart disease.


Common symptoms of prostate enlargement include:

  • Urinating 8 or more times a day (urine frequency).
  • Inability to delay urination (urine urgency).
  • Trouble starting to urinate.
  • A weak or interrupted urine stream.
  • Inability to empty your bladder completely (urine retention).
  • Dribbling at the end of urination.
  • Accidental leakage of urine (urinary incontinence).
  • Pain during urination or after ejaculation.
  • Unusual color or smell of urine.
  • Blood in urine.

Most of these symptoms are not specific to benign prostatic enlargement and may be caused by bladder problems, prostatitis, urinary tract infections (UTIs), or a more serious problem such as prostate cancer. Therefore, men with such symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

Diagnosis and treatment of prostate enlargement

When you visit a GP or a specialist such as urologist, various steps will be taken to determine the cause of your symptoms. The doctor will take your medical, personal and family history, ask questions about the symptoms and their effect on your life and conduct a physical examination to check the size, feel and shape of your prostate. The urologist also may request tests such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and ultrasound scan to rule out any serious complications.

There are many treatment options for BPH. For instance, the doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, bladder training exercises or medications (such as muscle relaxants and hormone blockers). The doctor also may perform surgery to correct the problem.

At St. Pete Urology, we have a highly skilled team of urologists with a great deal of experience diagnosing and treating BPH and other urinary problems. We fix these issues quickly, safely and effectively, helping you to resume your normal life and activities. For more information on treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, visit the site, St Pete Urology.

Are vasectomies permanent?

You may have made the permanent decision to go for a vasectomy so you do not father any more children. But now, the circumstances of your life have changed and you and your partner want a baby. Can you reverse your condition? Well, yes.

Vasectomy reversal surgery can allow you to father a child again. In the U.S. about 600,000 vasectomies are performed each year, but 5 percent of men also seek a vasectomy reversal surgery annually. While there is no guarantee that your fertility will be restored after reversing a vasectomy, the American Urology Association has confirmed that 75-99 percent of men will have sperm return to their semen after the reversal and 30-75 percent of female partners become pregnant following the reversal.

Vasectomy Reversal Procedure

Surgery to reverse a vasectomy is a risk and takes longer to complete than the initial vasectomy procedure, usually 2-4 hours when performed by an experienced urologist. The urologist will apply a local anesthesia or just use general anesthesia. With the help of a powerful surgical microscope, the urologist will reattach the previously severed sperm ducts or vas deferens, with various incisions made on the scrotum to expose the ends of the vas deferens that were severed. The task takes a patient and skilled surgeon to reattach the ends successfully. After reversal surgery, a jockstrap and dressing is applied to create pressure on the incisions. Intermittent ice packs and pain medication are prescribed to reduce swelling and discomfort. The stitches will dissolve in ten days.

What Results Should You Expect?

A critical factor that determines the success of a vasectomy reversal is how long ago the original vasectomy procedure was performed. For instance, if you opted for vasectomy reversal 3-10 years after the original vasectomy, you have up to 97 percent chance of success in rebuilding your vas deferens and at least 50 percent chance of impregnating your partner. Waiting for more than 15 years reduces pregnancy rates to 30 percent. Secondly, one of the effects of a vasectomy is that your body may actually stop recognizing its own sperm, developing antibodies against them. If this occurs, there is a very low chance that vasectomy reversal will restore your ability to impregnate your partner. The urologist will help you determine if this has occurred.

Even though vasectomy reversal is a tempting option, a vasectomy should always be considered permanent. Remember, pregnancy success rates after a vasectomy reversal are very low, influenced by length of time since the original vasectomy, your general health and age, your partner’s fertility, presence of sperm antibodies, and the technique used for reversal. Therefore, you must never take a vasectomy as a sort of experiment that you will reverse in the future. Similarly, results for a vasectomy reversal are not immediate, often taking up to 15 months for sperm to reappear.

Talk to your urologist to determine if you can reverse your vasectomy. For more information on reversing vasectomies, visit the site, St Pete Urology.

Causes of Kidney Stones and Treatment Options

The United States has been experiencing a rise in the number of people with kidney stones over the last 30 years. While less than 4 percent of the population had the disease in the late 1970s, the portion of the population with the disease increased to over 5 percent by the early 1990s, and today 1 in 11 Americans has kidney stones. The stones occur more frequently in men than women, with Caucasians being more prone to developing the stones than African Americans.

The prevalence of the stones increases dramatically as men reach their 40s and continues to increase into their 70s. But for women, the occurrence of the stones peaks in their 50s. After a person gets more than one stone, the chance of other stones developing increases radically.

What causes kidney stones?

The major cause of kidney stones is a lack of fluids in the body, which allows minerals and salts to concentrate and crystallize over weeks or months to form the stones. Most often, the stones result from a build-up of certain chemicals in the body, such as ammonia, calcium, uric acid or cysteine. You are more likely to have kidney stones if you do not drink enough fluids.

It is also believed that high-oxalate foods such as spinach, peanuts, sweet potatoes, chocolate, okra, black Indian tea, wheat germ, beets and rhubarb, may increase the risk of developing kidney stones. In the South, often referred to as the stone belt, people tend to be dehydrated in the summer and drink a lot of tea, increasing the chances of developing stones.

You are also more likely to have kidney stones if you:

  • Are between 30-50 years old
  • Have a family history of kidney stones
  • Have hypercalciuria (unusually high amounts of calcium in urine).
  • Are taking certain medicines, such as diuretics (like triamterene) or protease inhibitors (like indinavir)
  • Are taking too much antacids, calcium, vitamin C or vitamin D supplements.
  • Have metabolic syndrome (a combination of many heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure, high sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels and obesity)
  • Have a condition such as hyperthyroidism, gout or high blood pressure
  • Have cystitis
  • Have a condition that affects the structure or shape of your ureters or kidneys

Even though small kidney stones are often asymptomatic and may pass with little or no pain, large stones that block the urine’s path may cause severe symptoms. These could include sharp pain in the lower back or abdomen, painful urination, fever and chills, nausea and vomiting, blood in urine, and abnormally colored urine. It is important to visit your urologist if you experience such symptoms. The urologist will order blood and urine tests and imaging, and recommend appropriate treatment.

At St Pete Urology in St. Petersburg, we use minimally-invasive techniques and have a wide array of treatment options for kidney stones. If you think you may have kidney stones or have questions about the condition, visit the St Pete Urology website.

How much can a vasectomy cost?

If you and your partner have decided that you do not want any more children, you may be considering a vasectomy. If so, you are definitely not alone. About 600,000 men get vasectomies every year in the United States. And even though you may have questions about the techniques, safety, success rate, reversal, pain or side effects of the procedure, it is also important to consider the cost of a vasectomy.How much does a vasectomy cost? Across the United States, prices vary from one clinic or surgeon to another, ranging between $300 and $3,000 in many urology clinics, or as high as $4,000 to $5,000 in others. Follow-up analysis of semen for the presence of sperm may also cost an extra $75 per visit, though some practices include this fee in their overall package price.

Factors that determine the cost of a vasectomy include:
Where you live – Your residential area or city determines which hospitals and urologists are available. Some areas generally have higher prices than others.

Your personal health status – You will have additional expenses if there are pre-existing health problems.
The technique used for the vasectomy – Various surgical procedures have different degrees of complexity and therefore different costs.

Risks of the procedure – You may have unexpected or additional costs if any emergencies occur during the procedure.

Your health insurance plan – Depending on whether the urologist is in network or out-of-network, your co-insurance, deductible and co-pay amounts will vary, affecting your out-of-pocket payments.

Vasectomies in the United States are evenly divided between providers offering the traditional procedure versus the no-needle, non-scalpel procedure. Typically, the traditional incision vasectomies take 20-30 minutes to perform while non-incision techniques take less time. The recovery time is the same for the traditional and non-incision non-scalpel technique, which is 1 or 2 days of rest followed by a week of no strenuous exercise or work. Pregnancy is still possible after a vasectomy and you are expected to get follow-up sperm counts to confirm complete sterility. Using another form of contraception, such as condoms, is recommended for 2-4 months (12-24 ejaculations) while the presence of sperm in semen is still being monitored.

Cost of Vasectomy Reversal Surgery

While vasectomies are considered permanent, a change in circumstances may call for a reversal. Reverse vasectomy, also called Vasovasostomy, means reconnecting the tubes (vas deferens) that were cut during a vasectomy. Vasectomy reversal surgery has a success rate of 85%-98%, but the procedure is not inexpensive, costing at least $4,900 compared to the lowest vasectomy cost of $300.

At St Pete Urology, we understand that cost is not the only consideration when selecting a urologist for your vasectomy procedure. Therefore, we strive to provide competitive rates for all our procedures without compromising the quality of our health care. We offer many treatment options and we are committed to making the procedure as quick and comfortable as possible. For more information about our medical services and rates, visit St Pete Urology in St Peetersburg, Florida.

When Should You Get A PSA Test?

When should you take the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test? The question of screening is typically a personal and complex issue that requires a consultation with a urologist. Currently, the medical community does not share a unanimous opinion regarding the benefits of prostate cancer screening.

Most physician-led groups, like the American Urological Association and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, insist that PSA screening ought to be considered within the context of a man’s life expectancy and level of risk given other prior or existing medical conditions. Other groups have advised that PSA screening for healthy men under 40 comes with a risk of harm that may outweigh the benefits depending on the patient’s medical history.

When should you start screening?

The decision on when to start screening should depend on your overall health, level of risk, life expectancy, and desire for treatment should you be diagnosed with prostate cancer. While the time to start screening depends on individual factors, the age of 40 years is a reasonable time to begin, particularly for those with genetic predispositions or a family history of cancer. Likewise, for healthy men at high risk, such as African American men with a family history of prostate cancer, starting at age 40 is advisable.

For men at average risk, a urologist may recommend the initial DRE or PSA test at age 40 or 45, while some urologists may recommend starting at age 50. In general, most men have discussed PSA testing with their doctor by the time they reach age 50. This means that men above 40 years should consider discussing PSA screening with their urologist to determine if and when the test is right for them. All men should develop a proactive prostate health plan based on their family history and lifestyle.

When should you visit a urologist?

The above recommendations are specific to prostate cancer screening for healthy men showing no symptoms. If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer and a confirmation is made using a biopsy, your urologist may recommend routine PSA testing for risk assessment and post-treatment monitoring.

The right time to start PSA screening is an individual decision that depends on your risk level and family history. Visit your urologist to discuss the timing of this important medical test for men. For more information on the screening and treatment of prostate cancer, visit St Pete Urology in St Petersburg, Florida.

What is the success rate of vasectomy?

Do you have the number of children you’ve always wanted? Have you decided that parenthood is not for you? If you feel ready for a family planning method that will free you from ever worrying about unexpected pregnancies again, vasectomy may be the permanent birth control method for you. During a vasectomy procedure, the surgeon will cut the tube known as the vas deferens in order to stop sperm from getting into semen and causing pregnancy.

How reliable is vasectomy?

Success rate of vasectomyVasectomy is a more reliable method of preventing pregnancy than any other method of birth control. For instance, in comparison to the female equivalent called tubal ligation (a surgery performed to tie off the fallopian tubes and prevent an egg from meeting sperm cells) there are zero fatalities per 100,000 vasectomies but about 4 deaths for the same number of tubal ligations. The cost of a vasectomy is $700-900 while tubal ligation is about $2,500, and the overall failure rate of vasectomy is 1 in 1000 as opposed to tubal ligation’s rate of 1 in 200. Vasectomy is simpler, safer and has a shorter recovery time than tubal ligation.

What is the success rate of vasectomy?

Vasectomy has a success rate of more than 99%. It is generally agreed that a 1 in 2000 failure rate with vasectomy is vastly better than the 1 in 200 cases of tubal ligation. In fact, according to a 2005 review of total failures with vasectomy, it was reported that only 183 failures occurred in 43,642 vasectomies (just 0.4%), with 60 pregnancies occurring after 92,184 vasectomies (0.07%). Nevertheless, a vasectomy may fail if your surgeon misses the vas deferens during the operation or, in extremely rare cases, if the tube grows back. If tube re-growth occurs, the vas deferens will be much smaller than it was before the vasectomy.

In some cases, sperm can cross from one cut end of the vas deferens to the other, particularly during the first 3 months of the procedure. This is why your urologist will advise you that the procedure is not immediately effective and you must use another form of contraception until you have provided two semen samples that are sperm free, typically 2-3 months after a vasectomy. If your urologist finds sperm after repeated tests of your semen, you may have to repeat the procedure. About 1% of vasectomies are repeated before they become fully effective.

Will vasectomy affect your performance?

After many years of study, vasectomy has not been associated with any physical or health problem. It will not affect your virility as it does not change the production of the male hormone, testosterone. Therefore, your sex drive, erection, ejaculation, sexual pleasure and male characteristics will remain unchanged. In fact, 30% of men have reported improved sexuality after vasectomy, an improvement attributed to reduced worries about pregnancy. Following vasectomy, sperm production will continue but at a reduced rate and the sperm produced will die and get absorbed by the body as it normally happens in men who do not ejaculate their sperm.

Remember, a vasectomy means you will not be able to father a child, at least not without the huge cost and complications of reversal surgery. Therefore, you must never undertake vasectomy lightly. Before you and your partner choose this method of birth control, you should both consider it carefully. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of the procedure, the technique to be used, and whether it is appropriate for you. Want to know more about vasectomy? Visit St Pete Urology in St Petersburg, Florida.