Frequently Asked Urology Questions

The men and women of Saint Louis often turn to the internet to find the answers to their concerns pertaining to urological diagnosis and urological treatment. While no internet article could replace the experience and know-how of years of medical training and practice, with any luck this article can help you prepare yourself with the correct foundation of awareness to be able to talk intelligibly with a Saint Louis urologist regarding your urological health.

What is Urology?

Urology is a surgical specialization which addresses ailments of the urinary tract in males and females in addition to conditions of the male reproductive system.

What are a few of the more typical conditions urologists treat?

These are a few of the most common ailments which we treat:

• Prostate diseases (both benign and also malignant)
• Adrenal Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Kidney cancer-including kidney stones
• Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
• Incontinence- lack of bladder control
• Prostate Cancer
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Testicular Cancer
• Testosterone Deficiency
• Urinary Incontinence
• UTI
• Vasectomy
• Vasectomy Reversal
• Peyronie's Disease
• Hematuria
• Interstitial Cystis
• Prostatis
• Urethral/ Penile Cancer
• Varicocele

What are the current screening guidelines for prostate cancer?

The American Cancer Society encourages annual screening consisting of a digital rectal examination and a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test for all males over the age of 50. Men with family background of prostate cancer ought to go through yearly screening starting at the age of 40-45.

Is there something new for the treatment of kidney stones?

Most stones in either the kidney or the urethra (the tube which brings urine from the kidney to the bladder) are now treated with a noninvasive shockwave technique named lithotripsy. Our group has access to the most modern equipment for treating stones on an outpatient basis.

How helpful is a PSA test once a patient is diagnosed with cancer?

PSA is an exceptional marker for use during and after cancer therapy. PSA permits the patient know how the cancer is responding to the treatment.

Just what is a no-scalpel vasectomy?

The no-scalpel vasectomy is well-known in this nation due to the decreased pain that men encounter with this technique. Our group will provide you with the information needed for this treatment.

What are the signs and symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

There are usually no indicators or symptoms of early prostate cancer, which is the reason that prostate screening is so important. The following are the most typical symptoms of prostate cancer. Nevertheless, each and every individual might experience symptoms differently. Symptoms might include:

• Inadequate or interrupted flow of urine
• Urinating often (specifically at night)
• Difficulty urinating or holding back urine
• Lack of ability to urinate
• Pain or burning when urinating
• Blood within the urine or semen
• Irritating pain in the back, hips, or pelvis
• Difficulty getting an erection

The indicators of prostate cancer may appear like other ailments or medical problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

What are some of the symptoms for overactive bladder?

Three main symptoms are associated with an overactive bladder:

• Frequency (frequent urination)
• Urgency (urgent need to urinate)
• Urge Incontinence (strong need to urine followed by leaking or involuntary and complete voiding)

What is Hematuria?

Hematuria is the existence of blood, more precisely red blood cells, inside the urine. Whether the blood is just visible under a microscope, or visible to the naked eye, Hematuria is a sign that something is creating bleeding in the genitourinary tract: the kidneys, the tubes which carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, the prostate gland, the bladder, or the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. There are two kinds of Hematuria, microscopic and gross (or macroscopic).

What is a kidney stone?

A kidney stone is a solid piece of material which develops from crystallization of excreted substances within the urine. The stone might stay in the kidney or break loose and travel down the urinary tract. A little stone might pass all the way out of the body, but a larger stone could get stuck in the bladder or the urethra. This may block the flow of urine and cause great pain. A kidney stone may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a pearl, and a few are as large as golf balls. Around 80 percent of all kidney stones are less than two centimeters in width. They may be smooth or jagged, and are typically yellowish or brownish in color.

As was previously pointed out, this article just scratched the surface of the complicated field of urological medicine. If you live in or around Crestwood, Chesterfield, Washington, or Saint Louis, Missouri, urological specialists are no farther away from you than Metropolitan Urological Specialists.