Human health involves many different aspects of the body, ranging from the bones to the heart and lungs to the digestive system and the reproductive system. A less glamorous, but no less important field, is urologist services. Many American men suffer from problems of kidney stones, prostate gland issues (including cancer), incontinence, and more. Therefore, getting a urology consultation is important, and many patients, often the elderly, may get a lot out of these urology consultations. A related field is getting a vasectomy procedure, or erectile dysfunction treatment. A lot of good can be done with a urology consultation, and many American men are in great need of this service. Why might someone visit a urologist, and what can be done about these issues?

Common Health Problems

Men between the ages of 40 and 65 may suffer from a number of issues with their reproductive system or urination. The prostate gland may be the problem, and some 37 million American men suffer from what is called benign prostatic hyperplasia. This is otherwise known as an enlarged prostate, and it may make urination difficult for the patient. Worse yet, the prostate may suffer from cancer, and this may even prove deadly in some cases if the cancer is not treated. It is estimated that one in 10 men will eventually be diagnosed with prostate cancer sometime in their lives. What is more, this cancer ranks second among leading causes of death in the United States.

Other issues may come up, too. The kidneys or gallbladder may suffer from a buildup of minerals, which may gather to form kidney stones or gallbladder stones, and these hard formations may interfere with urination and make it difficult. A person may also experience urinary tract infections, or UTIs, some of which are caused when they insert a catheter. These infections may cause distinctive burning sensations during urination, and certainly call for a urology consultation. Lastly, a patient may suffer from incontinence, and this is common for older men. Incontinence describes any difficulty with proper urination, such as difficulty with forming a solid urine stream or difficulty moving liquid out of the bladder to start with. In other cases, a patient may suffer from a secondary condition such as arthritis that makes it difficult to unzip one’s pants and lower them for proper urination. Fortunately, a urology consultation may help any patient get a diagnosis for these problems and get medical treatment in some shape or form.

Getting a Urology Consultation

If a man is concerned that he may have an enlarged prostate, incontinence, kidney stones, or similar issues, he should consult his doctor at once and explain these problems. In turn, the patient’s doctor may refer him to a urologist, and the patient may then get a urology consultation. Different problems may have different solutions. A physical prostate exam may confirm an enlarged prostate, and that exam plus X-rays may diagnose prostate cancer. What can be done about this? A new form of cancer treatment known as proton beam therapy is now available, and such precise radiation affects only the cancer itself. A man diagnosed with prostate cancer may visit a cancer treatment center and undergo this therapy. Many studies have shown that proton beam therapy is not only safe but highly effective at destroying prostate cancer with no traces remaining. Most patients who undergo such cancer therapy have no recurring cancer in their five-year follow up, and their reproductive health is almost never impacted by this treatment.

Meanwhile, someone who is suffering from incontinence or blockage with urination may have a catheter installed carefully. It may be noted that the insertion of a catheter may sometimes cause a UTI, so doctors should be prepared to diagnose and address such an infection. Meanwhile, UTI or not, the patient may use that catheter to pass urine through a flexible tube and into a collection bag, no mess involved. Catheters can be discreet, often with the bag hiding under a pants leg. Collection bags should be emptied daily, and replaced once or twice per month as the patient’s doctor directs them to. Mobile collection bags allow the patient to maintain their mobility, a distinct advantage for them.