Summer is kidney stone season due to the heat. Here are some great tips, courtesy of the Urology Care Foundation, for staying hydrated and avoiding stones. Half of people who have had a kidney stone will develop another one. A key way to reduce the risk of forming stones is to drink extra water. This dilutes the substances in urine that lead to stones. To prevent repeat stones, try to drink at least 3 quarts (about ten 10-ounce glasses) of liquid a day. The amount of liquid you need to drink depends on the weather and your activity level. If you live, work, or exercise in hot weather, you may need more liquid to replace the fluid you lose through sweat. Here are some tips to drink more water: Add color and flavor to your water without the calories by freezing grapes, or lemon, lime, or orange peels, and using them instead of ice cubes. In winter, drink hot water with lemon and honey. Though water is best, other liquids such as citrus drinks may also help prevent kidney stones. Some studies show that citrus drinks, such as lemonade and orange juice, protect against kidney stones because they contain citrate, which stops crystals from turning into stones. Choose sparkling or mineral water instead of soda. Use an app to track how much water you drink. Download one to your phone to set daily reminders and alarms. Mark lines on your water bottle so that you know exactly how much you should have sipped by different points throughout the day. If you have kidney stones, you may need to follow a special diet. First, your doctor will run tests to find out what type of stones you form. From these, the doctor can determine which diet changes may be right for you. To prevent calcium stones, cut down on salty foods like cheese, most frozen foods and meats, canned soups and vegetables, salty snacks, bottled salad dressings, pickles and olives. To prevent oxalate stones, you may be told to reduce foods with high oxalate levels such as spinach, rhubarb and almonds. […]

June is Men’s Health Month, a time dedicated to making the health of men a priority and raising awareness of urology-related conditions and diseases that exclusively affect men. These urological maladies include prostate cancer, enlarged prostate, testicular cancer, erectile dysfunction, and peyronie’s disease. If COVID-19 caused you to miss routine screening or annual physical, now is the perfect time to call your urologist and schedule an appointment. In the words of Harris M. Nagler, MD, president of the Urology Care Foundation, “Men’s Health Month is a call for men to take charge of their own health. Many men avoid seeking medical care because they fear negative outcomes, think their condition will improve on its own or feel it’s a sign of weakness. Some also put off taking care of themselves and do not incorporate healthy habits into their daily lives. Good health practices, including seeking the medical advice from healthcare professionals, can help avoid the devastating consequences of untreated conditions or treatment delay. Now is the time for men to take their health seriously.” Screening: Prostate cancer screening is recommended for men who are between 55 to 69 years old; however, some men with a higher risk for prostate cancer should begin screening as early as age 40. The higher risk group includes African American men and men with a father, brother, or son diagnosed with prostate. Testicular cancer can affect males at any age; however, it is most often found in men between the ages of 15 to 44. The good news is, with early diagnosis, it can be cured. To catch testicular cancer early, learn about the early signs of the disease, learn how to do a testicular self-exam, and meet with your doctor immediately if you detect a suspicious lump, or have swelling or pain in the area. Lifestyle Improvements: Review your diet and commit to eating healthier. Why? A diet rich in natural fiber, such as from fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fatty fish, may reduce testicular and prostate cancer risk and help prevent erectile dysfunction. Some studies have shown that regular physical exercise may […]

Although there is no cure for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate, there are many useful options for treating the problem. Treatments focus on prostate growth, which is the cause of BPH symptoms. Once prostate growth starts, it often continues unless medical therapy is started. The prostate grows in two different ways. In one type of growth, cells multiply around the urethra and squeeze it, much like you squeeze a straw. The second type of growth is middle-lobe prostate growth in which cells grow into the urethra and the bladder outlet area. This type of prostate growth typically requires surgery. The first line of care for treating BPH is often medication. Doctors may prescribe an alpha blocker to relax the prostate, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor to reduce the prostate’s size, or both. While medications are helpful for many patients, some may impact a man’s sexual function or only reduce, not eliminate symptoms if the patient has a moderate to severe case of BPH. In cases where patients have moderate to severe BPH or have a middle-lobe growth and need further treatment, there are a range of BPH-related surgical procedures, including ones that are less invasive than older surgeries. A patient and his doctor will choose the best option based on the size and shape of the prostate, as well as the patient’s preference and overall medical condition. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) was considered the gold standard surgical treatment for many years. It involved “shaving” the enlarged prostate tissues with an electric current delivered through a wire loop. While this technique worked well, its’ side effects could include bleeding, urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Today, two newer procedures are performed in the urologist’s office. For patients with mild to moderate BPH with no middle lobe, there is a stapling procedure known as UroLift where the physician places the patient under local anesthesia or conscious sedation and lifts and staples the prostate to open up the urethra. Because it pulls the prostate out of the way, this approach offers rapid relief, but it cannot be done if […]