How Is Bladder Cancer First Diagnosed?

Early diagnosis of bladder cancer is crucial for successful treatment. Unfortunately, there is no specific test available for screening asymptomatic people for the disease. So diagnosis of the cancer primarily relies on the presence of symptoms.  

Working from symptoms

In fact, most cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed when patients report having blood in urine to their doctors. It is at this point that a urine test, called urinalysis, is often ordered to confirm the presence of blood in urine.  

Of course, having blood in urine does not necessarily imply that there is bladder cancer since bleeding can also be due to urinary tract infections, kidney stones, bladder stones, kidney disease, or a non-cancerous tumor. Hence, when blood is present, the urologist will go the extra mile to find out the underlying course.

Apart from blood in urine, your doctor may also suspect bladder cancer if you have urinary symptoms, such as frequent urination, burning sensation during urination, weak urine stream, nocturia, or inability to urinate.

Although occurrence of symptoms is usually the first basis for suspecting bladder cancer, it has various limitations. For instance, there are no symptoms that are specific to the cancer. This may lead to a misdiagnosis of the cancer as another disease with similar symptoms.

Also, many cases of bladder cancer show no symptoms in the early stages. So by the time you’re going to a doctor because of some symptoms, it may already be too late and the cancer could have spread to various organs and become difficult to treat.

Urinary tests

Regular urinary tests can help to detect early-stage bladder cancer. For when there is persistent blood in your urine, your urologist will be prompted to order for further tests.  Usually, when there is any amount of blood in your urine, your doctor will recommend a urine cytology test.

Urine cytology testing uses a random urine sample to check if the urine contains tumor cells. The sample is examined under a microscope to look for the cancer cells. Alternatively, the urine sample can be subjected to molecular analysis, which will detect the presence of various proteins or genes associated with cancer cells. 

Cystoscopy

This is a key bladder cancer diagnostic procedure that allows a urologist to see inside the body with the help of a thin, flexible, lighted tube called a cystoscope.  The cystoscope is inserted into the bladder through the urethra and has a camera to help the doctor clearly view the bladder. 

Apart from assessing the bladder, a cystoscope can be used to take a small tissue sample (biopsy) or to treat early-stage tumors without surgery.  Cystoscopy is a simple outpatient procedure performed in the doctor’s office, and is quite effective in detecting growths in the bladder and determining if there is need for biopsy or surgery.

Biopsy

If your doctor finds abnormal growth in your bladder during cystoscopy, a biopsy is the next and most definitive step. Also called transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), a biopsy involves the removal of a small amount of tissue from the bladder for examination under the microscope.

Usually the tumor, together with a sample of bladder muscle near the tumor, is removed. But additional biopsies of other parts of the bladder may also be necessary depending on the cystoscopy results. The tissue samples obtained during TURBT are analyzed by a pathologist to confirm bladder cancer, identify the type of tumor, and to find out how deeply it has spread into the layers of the bladder.

Does pelvic organ prolapse go away?

Why is pelvic organ prolapse so complicated and distressing?

With pelvic organ prolapse, one of the organs in the pelvic region—such as the uterus, rectum or bladder—drops downwards and bulges into the vagina.

What follows is a number of bothersome symptoms, such as:

  1. A persistent feeling that something foreign is inside you. The feeling worsens walking standing or during bowel movements. 
  2. A persistent pressure or pain in the pelvis and lower back.
  3. Troublesome urinary problems such as the need to constantly pass urine or the leaking of urine.
  4. Painful sex or urination

In some cases, the uterus and vagina may bulge through the vaginal opening. For many, this can be embarrassing and make sex uncomfortable, difficult and in some instances impossible. 

Does pelvic organ prolapse go away?

Unfortunately, pelvic organ prolapse will not go away without surgery. Untreated pelvic organ prolapse will remain the same and in many cases simply deteriorate over time. 

There is one exception.

If you have a mild prolapse after childbirth, it will in many cases resolve itself one year or so after delivery. In other words, the prolapse will follow the normal recovery trend after childbirth.

Otherwise, apart from pelvic organ prolapse after childbirth, prolapses tend to stabilize if managed with conservative treatments or get worse.

Why is surgery often necessary if you have pelvic organ prolapse?

An organ prolapse is not a life-threatening condition so you may choose to leave it untreated.

Of course, there are measures that can improve the condition and relieve the symptoms. For instance, pelvic floor exercises (kegel exercises) can strengthen your pelvic floor, improve the support for the prolapsed organ, and relieve the symptoms—though it won’t resolve the prolapse completely or reverse it..

In some instances, you may use vaginal pessaries. These are medical devices inserted in the vagina to provide support. In general, they will hold up the vaginal or uterus walls and push back the prolapse. 

However the most effective way to comprehensively treat a pelvic organ prolapse is surgery that is tailored to repair the prolapse. Ideally your doctor will restore the organ to its place, tighten your pelvic floor muscles, and restore necessary support in your pelvic region so the prolapse is successfully eliminated.

The type of surgery required will depend largely on the organ involved and the specific degree of prolapse. Hence, your doctor will customize the procedure to meet your specific condition and needs.

At St Pete Urology, we help women recover from mild, moderate or severe pelvic organ prolapse. Speaking with one of our experienced urologists will enable you to make an informed decision on how to manage a prolapse.

What Are The 5 Warning Signs of Prostate Cancer?

You are experiencing some terrifying symptoms.

Pain as you pee. 

Some blood in your urine.

Or frequent urination.

Now, you fear the worst.

You’ve heard of prostate cancer, and you’re scared you might have it.

Perhaps, that’s why you’re reading this post—to confirm your worries.

At St Pete Urology, we want our clients to be involved in decisions about their health. And to make the most informed health choices. 

So we strive to provide our clients with the most accurate and trustworthy information.  And direct them to where they’ll get helped.

We hope to help you overcome your worries. And make the right decisions.

Prostate cancer—a slow-growing cancer

Though prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, it generally grows slowly and tends to be confined to the prostate. And as long as it remains in the prostate, it does not usually cause serious harm. In fact, slow-growing types of prostate cancers may need minimal or no treatment. 

Still, there are few types of prostate cancer that are aggressive, spread quickly, and need timely treatment. Such types of the cancer need to be detected early, particularly when still confined to the prostate, so that they can be treated successfully.

It is due to these types of the cancer that you should know the early warning signs of the cancer and seek prompt treatment.

Yet, with prostate cancer, there are a number of challenges when it comes to warning signs.

  1. Different men have different symptoms.
  2. Some men do not show symptoms at all.
  3. The cancer grows slowly, so it takes time for symptoms to occur.
  4. Only aggressive, rapidly spreading types of the cancer may need treatment.
  5. The cancer doesn’t show any signs or symptoms when in the early stages. So it needs to grow for a while before you can notice any signs.
  6. Signs and symptoms that appear as the cancer advances aren’t specific, and could be due to other non-cancerous conditions.

Nevertheless, any signs are still valuable in early detection of the disease as long as you consult your doctor as soon as you have worrying or persistent symptoms.

 The five warning signs of prostate cancer are:

  1. Pain or a burning sensation when urinating. Pain may also occur when ejaculating
  2. Frequent urination especially at night
  3. Blood in urine or semen
  4. Sudden erectile dysfunction
  5. Difficulty starting or stopping urination

Most of these warning signs are related to urination. That is because the prostate is situated beneath the bladder. So an increased mass or size of the prostate immediately affects the bladder and hinders urination.

When prostate cancer has spread beyond the prostate, other warning signs may appear. 

They include:

  1. Lower body swelling
  2. Bone pain
  3. Abnormal urinary or bowel habits
  4. Sudden, inexplicable weight loss
  5. Pain in the back, pelvis, or hips that doesn’t go away
  6. Difficulty emptying the bladder completely

When to see a doctor

Since the warning signs of prostate cancer aren’t specific, you should make an appointment with your doctor if you have any symptoms that worry you or if any signs are persistent. Your doctor will take your history, conduct exams, and order for tests that will help to rule out other conditions. 

Besides, even if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is much easier to treat when detected early.

At St Pete Urology, we offer a full-range of diagnostic testing for prostate cancer. Our multidisciplinary team of urologic oncologic experts is devoted to evaluating, detecting and treating prostate cancer. Book your consultation now if you have any of the above warning signs. For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, visit the site “St Pete Urology.”

What color is healthy for urine?

Urine is your body’s liquid waste. A larger part of it is water, but it also contains salts, urea, uric acid, and other chemicals. The contents of urine indicate how healthy your body is and an analysis of your urine sample can help your doctor to figure out if you’re healthy or not.

What is the color of healthy urine?

Normal urine is pale yellow to deep amber. The color is due to the pigment urochrome that is a byproduct of the breakdown of hemoglobin.  So if your urine is any color ranging from yellow to gold, then it is healthy.  Also, if your urine color is a pale shade of yellow or clear, then it is a good sign for your health.

Of course, when your urine is bright yellow or a neon liquid, you may think it isn’t normal. But that is still the color of harmless urine and it may only show you’re taking a lot of vitamins or supplements—you may cut down on them if necessary.

Dark yellow urine is normal, but may indicate you need to drink more water. Actually, a darker shade of yellow implies low urine volume, which tends to come from dehydration, strenuous exercise, working for several hours in a hot place, or not drinking enough fluids.

Besides, a dark yellow color may mean that your urine is more concentrated and needs some diluting through increased fluid intake. But a continuous low volume of urine that has a darker shade of yellow, amber or is honey-colored is a major risk of kidney stones and you’ll need to correct it quickly by drinking more water to dilute and make it clearer.

Clear or somewhat transparent urine is healthy, too. It often means that you’re drinking a lot of water. Increased water intake dilutes the yellow pigment found in urine, so that the more you drink the clearer your urine becomes.

A little reduction of your fluid intake will restore the yellow color of your urine, especially if it is persistently clear or transparent. Reducing your fluid intake also helps to minimize the number of trips you make to the bathroom.

What are the colors of unhealthy urine?

  1. Brown urine

Brown urine color does not always mean you’re unhealthy. The color may occur when you consume large quantities of fava beans, aloe or rhubarb. It may also be due to severe dehydration, which you can correct by drinking plenty of water. Plus, it can be due to medications like metronidazole (Flagyl), chloroquine, primaquine, nitrofurantoin, methocarbamol, and laxatives such as senna or cascara.

But brown urine may equally imply you have medical conditions such as a kidney disorder or a liver condition. Some urinary tract infections may also turn urine brown. Therefore, if you have brown urine that doesn’t go away with increased fluid intake, visit your doctor to find out the cause.

  1. Red, pink or bloody urine

Your urine may be red or pink if you’ve recently eaten beets, rhubarb or blueberries; or if you have engaged in a strenuous exercise.  Medications such as rifampin, phenazopyridine, and laxatives like senna can also cause a red color.

But red color may also mean blood in urine (hematuria), which is a common indicator of urinary tract infections, enlarged prostate, cancerous or non-cancerous tumor, kidney cyst, bladder or kidney stones. Likewise, a deep red to brown color may indicate porphyria—a rare, inherited disorder of the red blood cells. 

Visit your doctor if you experience blood in your urine, particularly if you have no recent history of medication or foods that can turn your urine red.

  1. Orange urine

Orange color of urine may mean you’re eating large quantities of carrots, carrot juice or food with an orange dye. It may also imply you took medications such as phenazopyridine, sulfasalazine, isoniazid, riboflavin, a chemotherapy drug, or a laxative.

But your urine may also be orange because you are dehydrated and need water, or due to a liver or bile duct condition. If the orange color in your urine lasts a few days, you need to see your urologist.

  1. Blue or green urine

It is quite rare to have urine that is blue or green in color. But you can have blue urine due to a food dye or medications such as the pain reliever indomethacin, the anti-acid cimetidine, the anesthetic propofol, or the antidepressant amitriptyline.

Children with a rare genetic condition called familial benign hypercalcemia (blue diaper syndrome) have blue urine. Your urine may be green due to asparagus or because of infection by the bacteria Pseudomonas. Get in touch with your doctor if a blue or green urine color occurs for more than a day.

  1. Purple urine

It is very unusual to have purple urine. But one of the conditions known to cause purple urine color is the purple bag urine syndrome, which occurs due to the use of a urinary catheter by a patient who also has a co-existing urinary tract infection.

  1. Cloudy or foamy urine

You can have foam in your urine if you love steak and eat a lot of red meat or are on a ketogenic diet (high fat and low carbohydrate diet). But cloudy urine may also indicate dehydration or excess mineral intake.  Disorders like urinary tract infection, Chron’s disease, kidney disease, or diverticulitis also cause cloudy urine.

When should you see your doctor?

Changes in the color of your urine may be temporary and harmless, particularly due to food, vitamins or medication. But when the changes persist, you should be concerned.

You should see your doctor anytime you have blood in your urine as this usually indicates urinary tract infections, kidney stones or other condition. Seeing your doctor is even more urgent if the blood is accompanied by pain—although a painless bleeding may be due to a more serious condition such as cancer.

You should see a doctor if your urine is green, brown or orange and comes with a back pain, side pain, fever, burning sensation with urination, vomiting, discharge or thirst.

Remember, green urine may be due to bacterial infection, orange urine may indicate liver problem, and brown urine may signal kidney or liver disorder. Visiting your doctor will help you know what is causing the change. For more information on various urologic disorders, visit the site “St Pete Urology.”

What dissolves kidney stones fast?

You’re suddenly in an excruciating pain. You have a sharp, cramping pain in your back and side that comes in waves. And the overwhelming feeling moves to your lower abdomen or groin, and hurts badly.

Well, you probably have kidney stones. And you need to give it a quick fix. You can do that without medical intervention, especially if you can find something that will dissolve the stones fast.

Types of kidney stones

Generally, up to 80 percent of kidney stones are calcium stones—usually either calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate. These types of stones occur if you have too much calcium in your urine, though they could also form for other reasons.

Another type of stones, struvite stones, is related to chronic urinary tract infections, makes up 10 percent of all kidney stones and often forms when urine is alkaline. Uric acid stones make up 5-10 percent of kidney stones, and require acidic urine to form; while cystine stones that are less than 1 percent of all stones form when you have cysturia—too much cystine in urine.

Apple cider vinegar as kidney stones remedy

If you’re looking to dissolve kidney stones fast, you can rely on apple cider vinegar. Made from fermenting apples and endowed with phosphoric, citric and acetic acids, apple cider vinegar makes urine acidic and helps to dissolve most types of kidney stones quickly.

The acids in the apple cider vinegar react rapidly with compounds forming stones, especially calcium and struvite stones. As the reactions occur, the stones reduce in size and eventually dissolve.

Once the stones are dissolved or their size significantly reduced, they are easily flushed out in urine. Equally, as the stones break down, their obstruction of the urinary tract is reduced. Hence the pain caused by the stones is relieved.

Besides, apple cider vinegar reduces the risk of stone formation by dissolving minerals that may form stones. It also has an alkalizing effect that boosts the digestion process and increases the production of hydrochloric acid. The acid dissolves various minerals and helps prevent the formation of new kidney stones.

To prepare apple cider vinegar as remedy for kidney stones, mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 6-8 ounces of water and drink the mixture frequently throughout the day, but mostly before mealtime. You should not consume more than one 8-ounce glass of this mixture per day as excess apple cider vinegar can reduce potassium levels and cause osteoporosis.

Lemon juice remedy for kidney stones

Apart from apple cider vinegar, you can use lemon juice to dissolve kidney stones. Usually, a mixture of lemon juice with olive oil is preferred as the lemon juice provides citrate that breaks up or prevents calcium stones from forming while the olive oil helps to flush out the stones.

Mix a quarter of a cup of olive oil with equal amount of lemon juice and drink. Follow it with a glass of water. Repeat this in the afternoon, but making sure to drink plenty of water and plenty of lemon juice throughout the day.

Alternatively, you can just squeeze some lemon into your drinking water as often as you can. Unfortunately, this will require a great deal of lemon juice if it has to produce the effect you desire.

Other natural options that help with kidney stones include:

  1.     Celery juice
  2.     Pomegranate juice
  3.     Basil juice
  4.     Dandelion root juice
  5.     Horsetail juice
  6.     Wheatgrass juice

These juices help eliminate waste, enhance digestion, and increase urination. They are also packed with a lot of nutrients and can relieve inflammatory issues.

But as you go for the juices, also remember that drinking plenty of water is necessary. Drinking enough water prevents dehydration, dilutes urine, and hinders formation of kidney stones. Water also helps stones to pass through the urinary tract. As a rule, you should drink 6-8 ounces of water per day.

When should you see a urologist?

When kidney stones are too large and cause severe symptoms, visiting a urologist for treatment is the right option. Your doctor may prescribe medication such as tamsulosin (Flomax) to relax your ureter and make it easier for the stone to pass.

You may also be given pain and anti-nausea medicine to help you cope. Plus, your doctor may consider procedures such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), laparoscopy, and robotic surgery to help remove the stones.

You should see a urologist if your symptoms are becoming severe after using apple cider vinegar or lemon juice remedy for a few weeks. Indicators of worsening kidney stones include nausea, blood in urine, painful urination, severe pain in the lower back or abdomen, vomiting, fever, and chills. In fact, if you’re not able to pass the stone for six weeks then you should see your doctor to determine whether you need therapy.

At St Pete Urology, we see many patients with kidney stones on a regular basis and know exactly what to do in every situation. Our team of urologists has the skill, expertise, and experience to give effective treatments for the stones, particularly if you’re not able to pass the stones naturally.

Our range of treatments includes medication and procedures like lithotripsy (ESWL), ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), laparoscopy, and robotic surgery. Schedule your appointment with us if your symptoms have lasted more than six weeks. For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of urologic disorders, visit the site “St Pete Urology”.

What treatment options are available for male infertility?

Have you and your partner been experiencing challenges conceiving a child ? There are many potential reasons for this but one obvious is basic health issues connected with fertility 

What treatment options are available for male infertility?

  1. Surgery

In cases where infertility is due to obstructions in the sperm transport pathway, surgical correction can help to restore fertility. 

For example, if the vas deferens is blocked in a manner that prevents sperm from reaching the urethra, a qualified urologist can conduct an operation to remove the blockage. Likewise, a varicocele can lead to lower sperm production but often be repaired surgically within the spermatic cord leading to an enhancement to your fertility.

Surgery may also be performed to retrieve sperm directly from the testicles or epididymis using a sperm retrieval surgical technique. 

Your doctor may do a transurethral resection of the ejaculatory duct to help eliminate an obstruction in your ejaculatory duct, improving the chances of any inflamed or chronically dilated areas in your ejaculatory duct to normalize. 

A similar procedure—the transurethral resection of the seminal vesicles—may also be an option to help eliminate an obstruction in the seminal tract or in a strategic area, enhancing fertility.

  1. Hormone therapy and medications

You may need hormone medications or hormone replacement therapy if your infertility is due to high or low levels of certain hormones or problems with how your body synthesizes hormones. 

In men with mild sperm abnormalities, the drug clomiphene citrate can in many cases help to boost semen quality, improve sperm count and enhance sperm motility.

If the infertility is due to problems in the pituitary gland or hypothalamus, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) may be administered, usually combined with recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (rhFSH). When prescribed, the treatment can help achieve normal blood hormone levels so that your body can better produce sperm.

For many protocols, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is injected three times per week under the skin for between six months and one year. Then blood tests will be run and the dose adjusted as necessary. 

After six months of treatment, typically your urologist will check and inspect your semen. If sperm is still absent, doctors will in some cases add recombinant human FSH to the injected hCG. 

  1. Assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs)

Assisted reproduction involves obtaining sperm by normal ejaculation, surgical extraction, or donor individuals, depending on the specific case. 

The sperm can then be inserted into the female genital tract or used to conduct in vitro fertilization or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection.

The sperm collected from ejaculated semen or obtained using a needle inserted into the testicle is processed and introduced to the eggs by intrauterine insemination (IUI), in-vitro fertilization (IVF), or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). 

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is done during ovulation with sperm injected directly up the uterus. The woman is first prescribed targeted medications to increase the number of eggs she releases.

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) involves mixing sperm with multiple eggs collected from your partner in a plastic dish (“test-tube”). The fertilized eggs are then inserted into the uterus. Of course, IVF requires viable sperm.

In intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a single sperm is injected via a tiny needle into an egg. The fertilized egg is then implanted in the uterus. The procedure is appropriate when the sperm count is extremely low or abnormal.

At St. Pete Urology, we work with couples to optimize their reproductive health.

Contact us today if you have issues conceiving and for more information on the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and other urological problems.

Can a vasectomy reverse itself after 14 years?

A vasectomy is one of the safest and most effective birth control methods. But like other medical procedures, it isn’t foolproof. 

There is a possibility that a vasectomy can fail to prevent pregnancy in extremely rare cases with roughly a 1-percent chance of failure. 

Though vasectomy failures can be due to various reasons, several cases are due to a reversal of the procedure over time. 

How can a vasectomy reverse itself?

In rare instances, a vasectomy can reverse itself and is known to occur in about 0.025 percent of cases, equivalent to 1 reversal in 4,000 vasectomies. Such a reversal involves reconnection of the vas deferens after successful surgery and an effective post-vasectomy plan.

Remember that during a vasectomy, the vas deferens—the two tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the urethra—are cut and sealed off to block sperm from reaching semen. The channel in the vas deferens is broken at the point where it is cut to eliminate the passageway of the sperm to combine with the semen.

However, in some cases, the vas deferens grow back several years after the procedure. The growth may continue until a connection is recreated, allowing the free flow of sperm to the urethra.

An extremely rare and successful reconnection can occur after 10 to 14 years or more and is usually almost impossible to notice. 

Most men only realize that their vas deferens have reconnected after their sexual partners get pregnant.

What can make a vasectomy reverse itself?

After a vasectomy, sperm may leak from the vasectomy site or a rupture and directly into the epididymis. Since sperm have immune system stimulating properties (antigenic qualities), it recognizes sperm as foreign and attacks them.

The sperm leakage triggers an inflammatory reaction that causes the body to develop pockets to trap the sperm in scar tissues and inflamed cells. 

With time, spheres of cells called sperm granulomas form and produce nodules in the vas deferens that may grow and result in the reconnection of the vas deferens. 

The risk of a reversal increases with the presence of sperm tissue at the vasectomy site.

Another reversal mechanism is scar tissue. 

With cells present after a vasectomy forming tiny channels that allow sperm to squirm their way through the tiny tears in the scar tissue, small drainage channels appear in the tissue on the ends of the severed vas deferens. Over time, these channels may reconnect to the divided vas deferens, providing a pathway for sperm to the seminal vesicles. The risk of a reversal via scar tissue increases with open-ended vasectomy, where only one end of the vas deferens is closed.

However, you shouldn’t be overly concerned if you consider a vasectomy or have already undergone the procedure.

The chances of a reversal are pretty rare—almost negligible—and extremely unlikely in most cases. 

At St. Pete Urology, we are proud of our excellent record of successful vasectomies. Our skilled and experienced urologists understand the factors that may lead to vasectomy failure, including non-severance of the vas deferens, non-observance of a period of sperm-free ejaculate, reconnection of the vas deferens, and duplication of the vas deferens. So we tailor and conduct every vasectomy under strictest adherence to best practices. 

Call St. Pete Urology today for more information on vasectomy and vasectomy reversal.

What are the key signs of prostate cancer?

Key takeaways

  • Prostate cancer occurs when prostate cells grow and multiply uncontrollably, and can be malignant and life-threatening if it spreads to other parts of the body.
  • Early-stage prostate cancer does not have any unique signs or symptoms and is difficult to detect, making regular screening and testing important for early detection.
  • Common screening tests for prostate cancer include the PSA test and the DRE, and men who are 55-69 years old, African-American, or have a family history of prostate cancer should consider getting screened.

The prostate is a tiny, walnut-shaped gland in the pelvis. Located near the bladder and felt through a digital rectal exam, the prostate produces the fluid that transports and nourishes sperm. The fluid—called seminal fluid—is squeezed out via the urethra during ejaculation.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer occurs in the prostate when prostate cells grow and multiply non-stop. The growth of the prostate can either be benign or malignant. Benign growth of the prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, is rarely a threat to life as it doesn’t invade tissues around your prostate, doesn’t spread, and can be removed or shrink back.

On the other hand, prostate cancer is a malignant growth that can spread to nearby organs like the bladder or rectum and is, therefore, a threat to life. This cancer can spread to other parts of your body and may grow back after removal.

When prostate cancer cells break away from the prostate, they can spread through lymph nodes or blood vessels to other parts of your body. 

Upon spreading, the cancer cells attach to other tissues and grow to form new tumors that cause damage in the areas where they land.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. 

Although most cases of prostate cancers grow slowly and are restricted to the prostate gland, where they tend to cause little harm, some types of cancer are aggressive, spread quickly, and are life-threatening.

What are the key signs of prostate cancer?

Early-stage prostate cancer doesn’t have any unique signs or symptoms. It starts in the outer areas of the prostate and grows slowly. These areas are away from the urethra, so the growing tissue mass does not press against the tube and affects your urination.

There are no early urinary signs of prostate cancer. When symptoms occur, they are usually related to the non-cancerous condition called enlarged prostate or another health condition.

Nevertheless, as the tumor grows and spreads, it begins to affect the organs around the prostate. So with time, it will eventually show signs as it breaks out of the gland (locally advanced prostate cancer) or spreads to other areas of the body (advanced prostate cancer).

Unfortunately, even late-stage prostate cancer shares signs with other urological disorders, making it difficult to tell whether it is due to cancer or other conditions, such as prostatitis or benign prostate enlargement (BPH). 

That is why the key to establishing if you have prostate cancer is seeing a urologist, who will order tests to help find out what is causing the symptoms.

When they occur, the symptoms of prostate cancer include:

  1. Dull pain in the lower pelvic area
  2. Trouble starting to urinate or to empty your bladder
  3. Interrupted or weak urine flow
  4. Dribbling of urine after urinating or a feeling that the bladder hasn’t emptied properly
  5. Frequent urination, particularly at night
  6. Pain or burning sensation when urinating
  7. Difficulty having an erection, painful ejaculation, or decrease in the amount of ejaculate
  8. Blood in urine or semen
  9. Pain or pressure in the rectum
  10. Persistent pain in the back, hip, or pelvis
  11. Unexplained weight loss
  12. Bone pain
  13. Loss of appetite

Diagnosis of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is highly treatable when detected early. But for the condition to be discovered early, frequent screening is necessary. 

Screening means you undergo testing even though you have no symptoms. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and the digital rectal examination (DRE) are the most commonly used screening tests. Both help detect cancer early, although they aren’t perfect tests.

Speak with your urologist about whether or not you should undergo screening. Your doctor will assess your degree of risk and decide whether you should have the PSA test and the DRE. Generally, you should be screened if you are 55-69 years or older, African-American male, or have a family history of prostate cancer.

If the screening tests show that you might have cancer, your doctor will recommend a biopsy for confirmation. The decision to have a biopsy is based on the PSA and DRE results. Your doctor will also consider family history, ethnicity, and other health factors.

At St Pete Urology, we offer screening, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer. Through our patient-centered, compassionate approach to care, we have ensured that most of our at-higher-risk clients are enrolled in screening.  

We have employed a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach that ensures all our patients get the best possible care. 

Call us today for more information on prostate cancer and other urology disorders.

References

What color of pee is bad?

Do you ever pay attention to the color of your pee? If not, then starting today, you should.

The color of your pee can give you a hint of what is going on in your body—and whether you are well or unwell.

Urine is made in your kidneys as your blood is filtered. The kidneys make pee to help remove toxins and other harmful substances from your blood. So your pee is not just made of water and salt but also contains wastes such as uric acid and urea, and other substances found in your blood.

What is the color of pee?

The normal color of pee is yellow because of the yellow pigment, urochrome, made in your body.

When you are healthy and adequately hydrated, you should expect to produce light yellow and close-to-clear pee.

However, lots of things can change the color of your pee.

For instance, your urine will have no color if you’re drinking a lot of water or taking diuretics drugs that enhance fluid loss.

But when dehydrated, your pee becomes amber, dark yellow to light brown.

The color of your pee also changes with the type of foods, medications, or illness.

What color of pee is bad?

  1. Clear

Clear urine typically indicates you’re drinking too much fluid, and you need to cut back on your water intake. Although staying hydrated is a good thing, drinking too much water can rob your body of electrolytes.

Besides, consistently clear pee may indicate that you have a liver problem, like viral hepatitis or liver cirrhosis.

If your pee is clear for a while and you’re not consuming large amounts of water, then you should see your doctor.

  1. Dark brown

Dark brown pee color may be due to medications, such chloroquine (Aralen) and metronidazole (Flagyl), or extreme exercise that causes muscle injury.

It may also be due to eating large quantities of aloe, rhubarb, or fava beans.

Most often, brown pee indicates you should drink more water, showing that you are dehydrated.

In some cases, brown pee results from diseases. One of them is porphyria—a rare disorder that usually involves sensitivity to light and leads to brown urine because of the breakdown of red cells.

Pee can also be brown when you have a buildup of bile, liver disease, or a tumor.

You should see a urologist if your pee is brown and doesn’t get better after a day or so.

  1. Cloudy

Cloudy, foamy, or frothy pee is bad and requires immediate medical help.

When urine has bubbles or foam, you may be consuming too much protein in your diet, but a persistently cloudy pee indicates a more serious condition, such as kidney disease, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, or other chronic condition.

Make sure to let your doctor know about it as soon as possible.

  1. White

Pee that is cloudy white could mean you have kidney stones or a severe infection.

The white color is probably due to the presence of pus in your urine.

Make sure to see your urologist immediately for appropriate medication.

  1. Pink or red

Your pee may be pink or red due to foods like blackberries, beets, rhubarb, and carrots. But red or pink color of pee may also be caused by medications like the antibiotic rifampin or phenazopyridine for urinary tract infections (UTIs).

In the worst case, pink or red pee is due to blood in urine caused by urinary tract infections, an enlarged prostate, kidney disease, a tumor, kidney stones, or cysts.

If the color change occurs together with burning pain, odd smell, or any other unusual symptoms, then it certainly means you have an underlying health problem.

So if you have red pee and have recently not eaten the foods above, then you should visit your doctor immediately for help.

  1. Orange

Pee that has the color of citrus-flavored soft drink may be due to medications such as high-dose vitamin B12, the antibiotic isoniazid, or the UTI drug phenazopyridine. But it can also mean you’re dehydrated or you have a problem with your bile duct or liver.

If you have orange urine in addition to light-colored stools, then bile might be reaching your bloodstream due to problems in your bile ducts or liver.

It could be a result of adult-onset jaundice.

 Make sure to speak with your doctor about it.

  1. Blue

Blue urine is usually due to brightly colored food dyes and medications such as amitriptyline and indomethacin.

If you are not taking dyed food or these types of medications, the blue tinge may be due to bacterial infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or the rare condition hypercalcemia—too much calcium in your bones.

Generally, blue pee is rare and is almost often related to diet.

  1. Green

Your pee may be green due to vegetables in your diet.

However, green pee is usually bad as it is associated with Proteus infection.

If your pee is green, you should see your doctor, establish the source, and prescribe a course of antibiotics to clear up the urinary tract infection.

When should you see your doctor?

Speak with your doctor every time you see a change in your urine color that you can’t link to a new medication or a recent meal, particularly if the color change lasts more than a day.

Don’t hesitate to inform your doctor about it as it could signify a serious health condition.

A change in color of your pee that comes with a fever, vomiting, side or back pain, feeling very thirsty, or discharge requires urgent attention. Your doctor will run tests on your urine to determine what is going on and provide proper treatment.

What is sex like with a penile prosthesis

There is no such thing as “normal” when it comes to sex. What you like isn’t necessarily what another person likes. How important it is to you and how often you want it is also a personal preference, but what is common for everyone is the desire to have a pleasurable sexual encounter.

Men with erectile dysfunction who intend to have a penile implant inserted into their penis often want to know how it would impact their sexual pleasure.

Strong, reliable erection

A penile prosthesis enables you to have an erection that is strong enough for satisfactory sex. You will have an erection similar to a natural erection and will not have problems keeping it throughout sexual intercourse.

At St Pete Urology, we offer both inflatable and non-inflatable penile implants. An inflatable implant has two rods filled with fluid from a reservoir near the bladder. As the rods fill, the penis becomes erect. When there is no fluid in the rods, the penis is fully deflated and unnoticeable.

With the non-inflatable implant, a single rod is surgically implanted within the erection chamber of your penis. The rod keeps the penis in a semi-rigid state so that you merely need to lift it into position or adjust it by hand for sexual intercourse.

Regardless of whether the implant is inflatable or in a semi-rigid state, it will support your penis without making it larger or affecting the shape of its head. Expect your penis to be erect to about the same size as before you got the implant, and provide enough hardness for penetration and satisfying sex.

Unhindered sensitivity

A penile prosthesis does not affect the sensitivity of the penis, its glans, or its skin. You will not lose sensitivity and will generally respond to sexual stimulation. You will also have no limitations such as axial effort, traction, or your partner tightening the penis during sexual intercourse.

You can still enjoy different positions and enjoy normal orgasm and ejaculation—deriving maximum pleasure from your sexual encounters. The penis stays rigid even after orgasm, and it is up to you to choose to release the valve to remove the fluid from the rods and end the erection. You should also make sure to have good lubrication during intercourse.

Once you have a penile prosthesis, it may destroy your natural erection reflex. You should have the implant only when recommended by your urologist.

Hidden and unnoticeable

Due to the small incision made for the procedure, the healed scar after penile implant surgery is subtle and hidden to casual observers. The implant will be fully concealed and remain private. You can freely enjoy sex without worrying about your partner knowing you have an implant.

No one will be able to tell that you have a penile prosthesis until they see the small scar at the bottom of your penis. Even in the shower or locker room, it will remain undetectable.

Do you have erectile dysfunction? Would you like to restore your sexual function? At St Pete Urology, we understand that erectile dysfunction can severely impact your relationships and your quality of life. We offer various solutions that can help you with this predicament.

We typically recommend a penile prosthesis for patients who have not found the other ED treatments effective. After the implant surgery, patients can expect to enjoy healthy sex lives, enhanced self-esteem, and more satisfying relationships.

Schedule a consultation with one of our skilled and experienced surgeons at St Pete Urology to find out if a penile implant could be an excellent option for you