Blog

January 2021

How is OAB Diagnosed?

Overactive bladder can certainly affect your quality of life, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of and you aren’t alone. If you find yourself urinating more often than usual or having leaking accidents, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor right away. To get a proper diagnosis, your doctor will begin with a complete health history to learn when your symptoms started and whether or not you have other urinary conditions.

You should keep a diary and record how much you drink, how often you urinate, and how urgently you feel the need to urinate each day. This will help you accurately answer any questions your doctor may have. Your doctor will examine your pelvis, abdomen, genitals and rectum, and likely perform a few tests to diagnose overactive bladder. These include:

Urinalysis or urine sample
Urodynamic testing
Cystoscopy to detect cysts and growths in the bladder

These tests will help your doctor determine what is causing your overactive bladder, which will help him or her decide on the best treatment for your unique situation. When it comes to treatment, options range from behavior and lifestyle modifications to medication and sacral nerve stimulation with Interstim or Axonics.

If you’re suffering from overactive bladder, don’t spend another day embarrassed or uncomfortable. Millions of people suffer from the condition, and you shouldn’t feel ashamed to ask for help. Rushing to the restroom, wetting accidents and adult diapers can be a thing of the past. Experience relief from your symptoms...our team is here for you every step of the way.

At Arkansas Urology, we’re here for you. Our patients’ health has been and will always be our top priority! Would you like to learn more about overactive bladder treatment options? Contact us today to schedule your appointment, or book your appointment online.

December 2020

Can Wine Prevent Kidney Stones?

By: Arkansas Urology

While there isn’t specific scientific proof that wine prevents kidney stones from forming, certain studies have shown that both red and white wines can have a positive effect on kidney health. When it comes to alcohol, wine in particular seems to reduce the risk of kidney stones more than a variety of other alcoholic beverages.

Since alcohol is a diuretic, it causes our kidneys to produce more urine and remove excess fluids. This may contribute to the prevention of stones, but you should make sure you’re drinking plenty of water while enjoying your wine. Also, an unrelated benefit of drinking red wine is that it may lower your risk of heart disease due to antioxidants like resveratrol.

Although excessive alcohol consumption can cause kidney stones, drinking wine in moderation just might play a role in preventing them from forming. While wine may break down and provide your body with useful antioxidants, you shouldn’t overdo it. It’s important to remember that moderation is key when it comes to drinking any type of alcoholic beverage.

If you want to take it a step further when it comes to prevention, be sure to drink a lot of water. Staying properly hydrated is one of the single most important things you can do to prevent kidney stones. You should also avoid salty foods, sodas, and foods high in oxalate like beets, berries, peanuts, and chocolate. While you’re at it, cut down the amount of animal protein you consume in order to prevent the formation of uric acid stones.

We know all too well how painful kidney stones can be, and we don’t want them to ruin your holiday fun! If you have any questions about kidney stones, don’t hesitate to reach out to your urologist.

Do you suffer from kidney stones? At Arkansas Urology, our team of physicians is dedicated to helping you get healthy, stay healthy and live the life you want. Schedule an appointment online or give us a call today at 1-800-255-1762.

November 2020

What is Peyronie's Disease?

By: Arkansas Urology

Peyronie’s disease is a condition in which fibrous scar tissue forms under the skin of the penis, causing painful, curved erections. Common symptoms of Peyronie’s disease include soft erections, feeling lumps in the penis, pain during sexual intercourse, shortening of the penis and having trouble maintaining an erection. While some men are still able to have sex and don’t experience pain, other men have difficulties with the disease.

A risk factor associated with Peyronie’s disease is genetics, but genetics alone doesn’t cause it. It’s often caused by some sort of minor or repeated injury to the penis. Age and cardiovascular health may also play a role in the development of the condition. It can certainly have an effect on your sex life if it goes untreated, and that understandably leads to anxiety and stress. The good news is you can get help and find relief.

If you’re suffering from this condition, don’t be embarrassed to reach out to your doctor. He or she will be able to help you decide on the best treatment for your unique situation. Most of the time this can be diagnosed by a simple physical examination.

Some common treatment options include medication, injections, lifestyle changes and surgery. Quitting smoking, exercising regularly and reducing the amount of alcohol you drink may help prevent erectile dysfunction related to the disease. Certain medications may also be beneficial. However, if symptoms don’t improve after a certain period of time, surgery may be necessary. Your doctor will help you decide on the best route to take. The important thing is to seek help soon for the condition and don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about what you’ve been experiencing.

Peyronie’s disease can be painful and put a strain on your relationships, but don’t lose hope or put treatment on the back burner. At Arkansas Urology, our team of physicians is dedicated to helping you get healthy, stay healthy and live the life you want. Schedule an appointment online or give us a call today at 1-800-255-1762.

November 2020

Overactive Bladder

By: Arkansas Urology

Overactive bladder, or OAB, is the frequent and urgent need to empty your bladder. It affects over 30 million people in the US alone and half of the people with overactive bladder are struggling with urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) when leakage occurs. This condition can also be known as “spastic bladder” or “irritable bladder.” We understand how frustrating it can be to constantly have to find a bathroom and for your sleep to constantly be disrupted. Overactive bladder can be a nuisance at best, and life-altering at worst.

Getting up to urinate often at night, the sudden urge to urinate, leaking urine, wetting accidents and frequent urination are all symptoms of overactive bladder. While overactive bladder is most common in older adults, the condition is not a normal result of aging. It’s not something that people should ever assume they have to live with. While one in 11 people in the US suffers from overactive bladder, it mainly affects people 65 and older. However, women can be affected earlier, often in their early to mid 40s. This occurs about twice as frequently in women as it does men. About one in five adults over 40 will have some varying degrees of OAB symptoms.

Many people believe that leaking, wetting accidents and problems urinating are normal things that just start happening as we get older, but that’s just a myth. Overactive bladder is never normal. The good news is overactive bladder can be treated, and you can go back to feeling like yourself again.

However, the first step is definitely talking to your doctor. This is a common problem, so don’t be ashamed or afraid to have an open conversation with your doctor about what you have been experiencing. As many as 30% of men and 40% of women live with OAB because they think they don’t have any options, but that’s simply not the case.

At AU, we take a comprehensive approach to treating overactive bladder. We funnel patients through our nationally-recognized pathways to get the right treatment for them. The key we have found in treating OAB is to start with first-line therapies like behavioral adjustments and then work to more advanced therapies that can include minimally invasive procedures.

You can contact AU to learn more about how we treat OAB and to visit with a doctor about your condition.

October 2020

Myth or Fact: Pelvic Floor Exercises Won’t Help After a Certain Age

By: Arkansas Urology

While pelvic floor exercises are certainly useful to women who have given birth, they’re also beneficial to women of all ages for a variety of reasons. It’s never too late to start working your pelvic floor muscles, and doing so could actually prevent future problems.

Kegel exercises are extremely helpful if you suffer from urinary incontinence. If you leak urine when you laugh, cough or sneeze, or you suddenly feel the need to urinate and have trouble making it to the restroom on time, you likely suffer from incontinence. Kegel exercises strengthen your pelvic floor muscles over time, which can prevent some of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with urinary incontinence.

Kegel exercises also help to prevent pelvic organ prolapse, which can be caused by the natural aging process. Even if you do experience pelvic prolapse, these exercises may reduce the chance of mild conditions worsening while reducing symptom intensity and frequency.

To do a Kegel exercise, simply find the muscles you use to stop urinating and squeeze for a few seconds then release. Do this several times throughout the day, and gradually increase the number of seconds you squeeze before releasing. To start out, we recommend trying to squeeze for at least 10 seconds before relaxing for 10 seconds. You should repeat the exercise 10 times per set, at least three times a day. If you have trouble doing Kegel exercises, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor for help. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Whether you’re 21 or 60 years old, pelvic floor exercises have a variety of benefits that can help you both now and in the future. There’s no reason not to give them a try.

At Arkansas Urology, we’re here for you. Our patients’ health has been and will always be our top priority! Would you like to learn more about pelvic floor health or urinary incontinence? Contact us today to schedule your appointment, or book your appointment online.

September 2020

Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

By: Arkansas Urology

Getting a prostate cancer screening early and regularly is very important. Prostate cancer is relatively common for men. Fortunately, at Arkansas Urology, we know that prostate cancer if caught early is very treatable. You are good to be proactive and ask questions about your risk factors. Several different factors contribute to this cancer and when it occurs. Risk factors for prostate cancer differ from risk factors of most types of cancers. So who is most likely to develop prostate cancer?

Age is the greatest risk factor. The older you are, the more likely you are to develop prostate cancer. About 80 percent of men who reach age 80 will have some prostate cancer cells in their prostate. About 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer are in men 65 and older. It’s rare in men younger than 40. In the U.S., the average age of a man just diagnosed with prostate cancer is 66 years old.

African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men. The cancer is also more likely to be advanced when it is diagnosed. Hispanic men have a lower risk of prostate cancer than white men.

Family history also plays a large role in whether or not you develop prostate cancer and when it occurs. If your father or brother had prostate cancer, your risk is doubled. Actually having a brother with prostate cancer seems to increase your risk more than your father. Multiple family members and the age of their diagnoses also affect your risk. Also, if you have a family history of genes that increase the risk of breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2), it can increase your risk for prostate cancer.

Smoking, diet and obesity have been shown to be factors for aggressive prostate cancer but they aren’t necessarily a factor for low-risk prostate cancer.

Screening for prostate cancer should start earlier if you have risk factors present. At Arkansas Urology, our team of physicians can help you know your risk factors and when to be screened. Give us a call today at 1-800-255-1762.

September 2020

Most Common Treatments for Prostate Cancer

By: Arkansas Urology

Prostate cancer treatment depends on a variety of factors, including age, how advanced the cancer is, overall health and the side effects of treatment. Your doctor will be able to help you decide on the best treatment option for your unique situation. However, a few common treatments include:

-Watchful Waiting. If you have a slow-growing cancer or limited life expectancy, watchful waiting is often the preferred treatment. Tests are routinely done, and if uncomfortable symptoms develop, active treatment may be recommended.

-Hormone Therapy. This form of treatment limits the supply of hormones that cancer cells require to grow, particularly testosterone. This slows the growth of the cancer, and is typically used in more advanced cases.

-Radiation Therapy. Radiation is often preferred when prostate cancer is confined to the prostate area and hasn’t spread, but it can also be used to control pain in more advanced cases. Radiation damages tumor cells that divide quickly, and can be delivered from outside of the body or by implanting material inside the prostate.

-Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can slow or reverse the spread of prostate cancer in more advanced stages. Drugs are injected into your bloodstream to poison the rapidly dividing cancer cells, but the drugs also affect healthy cells in the process. Common side effects include nausea and hair loss.

-Surgery. If prostate cancer is caught early and tumors are confined inside the prostate, surgery can be performed to remove cancerous tissue from the body and cure the cancer. Options include open radical prostatectomy and radical prostatectomy. Less invasive options include Da Vinci Robotic Surgery and cryosurgery.

At Arkansas Urology, we’re here for you. Our patients’ health has been and will always be our top priority! Would you like to learn more about prostate cancer treatment options? Contact us today to schedule your appointment, or book your appointment online.

August 2020

Women and Pelvic Health

By: Arkansas Urology

Pelvic health is a factor of our lives that many people don’t begin to consider until they start experiencing age and illness. Being proactive is the key to promoting pelvic health and maintaining it through life. Here is our advice for steps you can take right now:

1. Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

Kegel exercise is the best way to exercise the muscles that contain the contents of your pelvis, which is your pelvic floor. These muscles keep different organs in place, maintain the function and control over the bladder and bowels. Practicing Kegels one to three times daily will optimize your results.

2. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

All factors of health are generally connected in one way or another. As you age, eating healthy and staying active will help prevent a multitude of diseases, and incontinence is one of them. Excess weight puts a strain on the pelvic muscles that often leads to weakening and tearing.

3. Understand the Way the Body Ages
As we age, the body lessens its collagen production leading to decreased connective tissue and more stress on the area. This can be lessened with the addition of some supplements, like glucosamine or chondroitin sulphate.

The important thing to remember about pelvic health is that prevention is key. Consistency with pelvic floor exercises, particularly during pregnancy, and a generally healthy lifestyle are the best ways to promote and maintain pelvic health.

August 2020

Kidney Stones: What Can I Do to Pass One at Home?

By: Arkansas Urology

Kidney stones are more common in the summertime, and you aren’t alone in wanting to pass one

from the comfort of your home instead of making a trip to the hospital. An estimated 10 percent of

Americans will experience kidney stones in their lifetime, and if you’ve suffered from this condition

before, you know just how unpleasant it can be. Also, about 50% of people who develop kidney stones

will have more stones in the future, so prevention is key. While kidney stones can certainly be painful,

there are several things you can do at home to make passing one as comfortable as possible.

The single most important thing you can do to pass a kidney stone is drink plenty of water. You

should drink more water than you usually do until the stone passes. Keep in mind that regularly

mixing lemon juice in your water is an excellent way to prevent stones from forming again in the

future. Avoid high-oxalate foods and sugary, caffeinated drinks like soda and sweet tea.

Be sure to take over-the-counter pain medications as needed until the stone passes as well. A heating

pad or warm bath can also help relieve pain if it’s intense. If possible, you should try to remain active

and walk around, as movement may also help the stone pass more easily.

If any of the following occur due to kidney stones, you should see a doctor as soon as possible:

● Fever

● Vomiting

● Blood in your urine

● Severe pain that is unbearable

In some cases, medication or other treatments may be necessary. For instance, if a stone causes the

complete block of urine flow, extreme pain that is not controllable with medication, or a urinary tract

infection. Treatment options can include extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous

nephrolithotomy and ureteroscopy, and in rare cases, surgery. If you’re having complications passing

a kidney stone, don’t hesitate to call your doctor.

At Arkansas Urology, we’re here for you. Our patients’ health has been and will always be

our top priority! Are you suffering from kidney stones? Contact us today to schedule your

appointment, or book your appointment online.

July 2020

Staying Hydrated in the Summer Heat

By: Arkansas Urology

It’s summertime in Arkansas. We all know what that means. Hot days, warm nights, with excessive heat and even more humidity.

Whether playing golf, riding your bike, walking the dogs, or doing a little yardwork, when we get hot, our internal thermometer will respond by attempting to cool itself. The human body is made up of over 60% water and that is a reminder of how important it is to avoid dehydration. Water is essential for life and our best choice for refueling.

For the average person, who does light outdoor activities, the recommendation on how much water to drink is 8 – 10 glasses a day. Older adults have a higher risk than younger adults of becoming dehydrated, especially during the hotter months of the year. If you work outside or exercise a lot, you’ll need to drink more water per day than someone who doesn’t sweat as often. If you take certain medications, such as a diuretic, you need to drink more water than the average person since you urinate more often. Athletes need to take extra precautions by drinking water one hour prior to exercise, every 15 minutes during exercise and an hour after exercise.

You can also stay fully hydrated by eating foods with high water content. Fruits such as watermelon and oranges or vegetables like celery, tomatoes, and cucumbers provide a nutrient-rich water source. Coffee and tea can also count. However, you should limit your intake of alcohol, because it is a diuretic. Diuretics make you urinate more and lose additional fluid.

Drinking sufficient levels on a daily basis is an important part of your bladder and kidney health. Good hydration is thought to help ‘flush out’ bacteria from the urinary tract and avoid infections (UTIs). It also helps to decrease the concentration of substances and crystallization involved in kidney stone formation.

When first becoming dehydrated, you might simply experience increased thirst. For most people, this is a very good indication that you need more water. Even before you become dehydrated, you'll feel thirsty, and your mouth may feel dry or sticky.

You can also tell if you are getting enough fluids by checking your urine. It should be light-colored (pale yellow) and you should be urinating every 2-4 hours. Additional warning signs include becoming lethargic, dizzy, having muscle cramps, fatigue, and other unpleasant symptoms. Our thinking and cognition can suffer. We might lose appetite, experience mild constipation and lightheadedness, or kidney stones. Mild dehydration is easy to reverse – simply drink more water. Severe dehydration, on the other hand, requires immediate medical treatment.

As we enter into what is typically the hottest time of the summer months, be safe and drink plenty of water.

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