Archive for the ‘Urology’ Category
Urology Treatments for BPH
BPH, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, is a condition wherein the prostate gland becomes enlarged, often causing uncomfortable urinary symptoms. Many men live out their lives with this condition, often not knowing they have it. However, when it starts causing urinary symptoms that interfere with everyday life, urology offers several treatment options to men struggling with this uncomfortable condition.
Medications
Sometimes medications, specifically alpha blockers, can control the urinary symptoms associated with BPH. Alpha reductase inhibitors can also stop the growth of the prostate by robbing stopping testosterone from changing into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which in some men seems to cause the prostatic growth. Sometimes alpha blockers can also shrink the prostate just a little, relieving the symptoms. This treatment needs to be monitored by a urology professional to ensure that there are no dangerous side effects and make sure it is working.
Laser Therapy
All other treatments urology offers for BPH work to remove a portion of the prostate gland to relieve the symptoms. Laser therapy is one way to do this. In laser treatment, the surgeon uses a laser to burn off a portion of the prostate gland and relive the pressure.
Microwave Therapy
Urology also offers men with BPH microwave therapy, or TUMT. Again, this works by destroying some of the gland using microwaves. The transmitter is inserted through the urethra to deliver the treatment directly to the gland.
HIFU
HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. This technique removes some of the prostate through the power of ultrasound waves. This requires the use of a rectal probe to deliver the ultrasound waves directly into the prostate gland. Because the therapy also uses ultrasound to capture real time images of the prostate gland, it limits the number of complications common with other BPH treatments. The urology field is still seeking FDA approval for this treatment in the United States.
Transurethral Resection of the Prostate
If the BPH is quite severe, men may receive relief through surgery. A transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) procedure is one of the most commonly used options. The TURP procedure removes a portion of the prostatic tissue using a resectoscope inserted through the urethra. This requires around three days of hospitalization in most cases.
Holium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate
The Holium Laser Enucleation works similar to the TURP, but uses a holium laser to remove the tissue. This limits the complications associated with TURP and shortens the hospitalization time.
Porstatectomy
The most invasive procedure urology offers patients suffering from BPH is a porstatectomy, or a full surgical removal of the gland. Typically, this is only used of complications prohibit the less invasive options or if the prostate is greatly enlarged. The risks are quite high, particularly of incontinence and impotence, so patients need to weigh the risks over the benefits of treating their BPH through surgery.
4 Common Urology Problems That You May Have To Battle With
Have you recently felt an irritation or inflammation while urinating? Was the symptom accompanied by an urge to urinate more often than usual? If these symptoms still persist, you better visit a urology center immediately. You might be suffering from a urology disorder. Do not panic, for if treated right away, no harm will be caused.
Both men and women may suffer from infections in the urinary tract. There are different types of diseases related to infections in the urinary or urinogenital tract. Each disease is characterized by a set of unique symptoms. The urology problems are also treated differently. The following 4 are some of the most common medical problems affecting the urino-genital tract:
* Incontinence: It is a condition that mainly women experience. In this urology disorder, urine may leak due to sudden stress (like coughing or sneezing), urgency to urinate, overflow or as a sudden reflex. This can lead to embarrassment in public and people often lose their self-confidence. Proper treatment by expert urologist can completely cure the problem. The treatment procedures include changes in dietary patterns, pelvic muscle exercise, retraining the bladder, scheduled voiding, and electrical-stimulation therapy. If it is a case of acute continence, a surgery may also be required.
* Prostrate: Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a common condition in men. In this case, the prostate gland is enlarged and causes a lower urinary tract problem. However, it is not always cancerous. It can be treated by medication or might require a surgery.
* Urinary Tract Infection: This type of urology problem is more common in women than men. It is caused by bacterial infection in the tract, generally in the bladder or the urethra. It is characterized by painful pr burning sensation while urinating, and frequent urge to urinate but with minimal output. Sometimes, it is also characterized by blood in the urine. If the problem is acute, it can affect the kidneys. In such situation, symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the upper back area. It can be treated with antibiotics. You can prevent such urology problems by increasing fluid intake like drinking more water or cranberry juice.
* Infertility: It is a condition where a couple fails to conceive. Both men and women can suffer from this problem. Infertility is caused due to a number of factors like azoospermia (no production of sperm cells) in women and oligospermia (low number of sperm cells) in men. Treatment involves surgery, medication therapies, and in-vitro fertilization.
Are you are looking for a center that can diagnose and treat your urology problems? Laurel based Murdock Urology Associates is one of the best urology centers in Maryland. Visit the center and consult with some of the greatest urologists in the US.