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June is Men’s Health Month, and the perfect time for men all over Arkansas to focus on prioritizing their health. When it comes to routine check ups and exams, it’s important to stay up-to-date. Early detection is key when you’re facing prostate cancer, testicular cancer or bladder cancer. What may seem like a minor annoyance to you could actually be a sign of something serious. It’s always best to go ahead and get your symptoms checked out. The skilled professionals at Arkansas Urology are here for you every step of the way, from prevention to treatment.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the United States. When it’s detected early, however, there are a variety of treatment options to choose from. We recommend getting tested once a year once you reach the age of 55, or earlier if you have certain risk factors such as prostate cancer in your family history. Common symptoms include difficulty urinating, painful urination, blood in the urine, weight loss and lower back pain, among other problems.

Testicular cancer is rare, but your risk increases if you have a family history of it. It commonly affects boys and men between the ages of 15 and 35. We recommend routine self-checks, and scheduling an appointment with your doctor should any symptoms develop. These include a lump, aching, pain or feelings of heaviness in the testicle area.

Bladder cancer symptoms can include pain in the lower back, dark urine or blood in the urine. You may be surprised to learn that experts believe that cigarette smoking causes half of the cases of bladder cancer in the United States each year! If you experience any pain, discomfort or problems with urination, it’s best to see your urologist to pinpoint the cause right away.

At Arkansas Urology, we care about our patients and their families. Getting a necessary check-up or setting up an appointment after experiencing troublesome symptoms can make all the difference. Set time aside for your health. Schedule an appointment with us today!

Kidney stones are painful, but the good news is there are ways to prevent them. The most common cause of kidney stones is simply not drinking enough water. You should strive to drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water every day to keep your body properly hydrated. Try carrying a bottle around with you throughout the day, and schedule what times you need to refill the bottle in order to reach your daily goal. Adding lemon, cucumber, or berries to your water can add a healthy burst of flavor to the mix. Squeeze lemon juice in your water, or have a glass of lemonade sweetened with honey to prevent kidney stones as well!

Another common cause of kidney stones is too much sodium. A diet high in sodium increases the amount of calcium in your urine, which directly leads to the formation of kidney stones. Certain soups and vegetable juices are very high in sodium, so keep an eye on labels.If you drink a lot of soda, now is the perfect opportunity to cut the bad habit! Sodas that are acidified with phosphoric acid—think Coca Cola—have been linked with an increased risk for kidney stones and kidney disease. It’s best to limit yourself as much as possible when it comes to soft drinks.

If you want to prevent the formation of kidney stones, the best thing you can do is drink plenty of water to dilute the substances in urine that lead to their formation. Proper hydration is key. Avoid a high-sodium diet, sodas, and drinks that are rich in oxalate—like tea. Small habit changes can make a big difference! If you’re currently suffering from kidney stones, schedule an appointment and we will get you on the road to feeling like yourself again!

LEMON, BLUEBERRY AND MINT INFUSED WATER:

• 1/2 pint blueberries
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 7 fresh mint leaves, torn

Simply pop the fruit and mint leaves into your glass, or use an infusion water bottle to keep fruit separated. Get creative with as many combinations as you’d like!

Did you know overactive bladder affects more than 33 million Americans of all ages? While you may feel alone in your journey, you certainly aren’t. When it comes to treatment options, you aren’t alone either. The professionals at Arkansas Urology offer a variety of treatment options, from medication to sacral nerve stimulation with InterStim. Behavior modifications include bladder training, biofeedback therapy, and Kegel exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. We also highly recommend reducing caffeine and alcohol intake if you suffer from OAB, as they irritate the bladder and can worsen symptoms.

Your doctor may prescribe medication in conjunction with behavior modification, or if behavior modification techniques aren’t successful. Anticholinergic drugs—such as Detrol-LA and Ditropan-XL—are commonly prescribed to treat overactive bladder, as they relax and stabilize the bladder muscle and prevent involuntary contractions.

Many people believe that all forms of prostate cancer are slow-growing, but sometimes prostate can cancer grow and spread quickly. If the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes by the time it’s discovered, it may already be located in other areas of the body as well. The potential aggressiveness of prostate cancer is measured between 1 and 5 on the Gleason scale, with grade 5 being the most aggressive.

Low-grade prostate cancers, with grades of 3 and below on the Gleason scale, tend to grow slowly and pose a smaller threat to your overall health. On the other hand, high-grade prostate cancers (grades 4 and 5 on the Gleason scale) often spread rapidly throughout the body and can lead to a variety of health issues. Once this cancer begins to spread to other parts of the body, it can become more difficult to treat. Many men who have slow-growing cancers, or limited life expectancy due to medical conditions or age, opt for a “wait and watch” approach. This involves monitoring cancer growth and attending regular checkups. However, treatment is commonly recommended if symptoms worsen. If there is an aggressive type of prostate cancer, treatment can be life saving.

Arkansas Urology utilizes two tests to help detect prostate cancer: the digital rectal exam, and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. If cancer is suspected, our professionals will follow up with additional tests and/or a biopsy. If a test returns positive for cancer, we offer a variety of treatment options depending upon how advanced your cancer is, your health and medical conditions, the potential side effects of treatment, and your age and life expectancy.

Everyone is different, and every case of prostate cancer is different. Early detection is key, and the earlier prostate cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat. If you think you are experiencing symptoms of prostate cancer, don’t wait. Schedule an appointment with one of the skilled and experienced doctors at Arkansas Urology.

Many women experience a variety of changes as they age. While it’s common to be embarrassed when it comes to speaking to someone about these changes, it’s important to remember that they’re completely normal. If you’re experiencing symptoms of any of the following conditions, schedule an appointment with one of the skilled professionals at Arkansas Urology today to see how we can help.

Pelvic Prolapse

When an organ slips down into the body or becomes displaced, it is known as pelvic prolapse. This pelvic floor disorder affects about one-third of all women throughout their lifetime, and in most cases occur in older women. It is often discovered during a routine pelvic exam or Pap smear. The causes of pelvic prolapse vary, and a number of treatments are available depending on severity.

Urinary Incontinence

Uncontrollable urine loss is a common condition in the United States, and more than 80 percent of incontinence cases occur in women. While urinary incontinence can occur in people of all ages, it is a frequent problem in older adults. Causes include Alzheimer’s disease, lack of estrogen, a weakened pelvic floor, urinary tract infections, surgery, certain medications, and diabetes.

Menopause

The onset of menopause can affect women in a variety of ways. Symptoms include hot flashes, chills, irregular periods, loss of hair, fatigue and anxiety, and low libido among other things. Treatments typically focus on symptomatic relief. Hormone pellet therapy provides a steady stream of hormones to treat hormone imbalances often caused by menopause.

UTIs

UTIs occur in women of all ages. Symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate, a burning sensation while urinating, and cloudy urine. You can help prevent UTIs by not holding in urine when you need to use the restroom, urinating after sex, wearing cotton underwear, and drinking cranberry juice.

Several common changes take place as women age, but that doesn’t mean you should simply deal with being uncomfortable. A variety of treatment options are available, and our doctors are here to help you find the best solution for your condition—no matter your age. Schedule an appointment today!

Contrary to popular belief, overactive bladder (OAB) is not a normal part of aging. While loss of bladder control can cause feelings of embarrassment, frustration, anger and low self-esteem, your doctor can help you find ways to manage your OAB. No one treatment is right for everyone, and often different therapies and treatments are used in combination at the same time.

The first course of treatment is lifestyle changes, also known as behavioral therapy. This includes removing all the “bladder irritating” foods out of your diet like caffeine, alcohol, soda, artificial sweeteners and spicy food. Keeping a daily diary of trips to the bathroom and food consumed can help you and your doctor understand your symptoms better.

Learning bladder tricks like “double voiding” or “scheduled voiding” can also be helpful in managing your OAB. You might also find relief from training your bladder with “delayed voiding.” Other behavioral therapies, such as pelvic floor exercises (Kegels) can help strengthen your urine control. Biofeedback equipment is another tool that can be used to better identify the muscles that need to be exercised.

Most people do not have relief from all their symptoms with lifestyle changes alone, so your doctor may prescribe a medication. More advanced treatments such as injections of Botox into your bladder muscle may also help to keep your bladder from contracting too often.

Finally, your doctor may suggest nerve stimulation if your quality of life is being more severely affected due to your OAB. Neuromodulation therapy is a group of treatments that deliver electrical pulses to nerves to change how they work within your body. Another option is sacral nerve therapy that is administered by implanting a “bladder pacemaker” (InterStim). This device stops the nerve signals that can cause OAB altogether.

As you can see there are many options available for those struggling with an overactive bladder. Talk to your doctor about what options may be best for you to live a happier, healthier life.

Everyone desires to wake up in the morning feeling rested and refreshed. But all too often the urge to use the bathroom interrupts our peaceful sleep. Nighttime urination is definitely more common in people over the age of 60. As you age the body produces less of a hormone that helps you retain fluid.

Also, as you get older you are more likely to have other health problems that cause you to need to use the bathroom at night. In men, an enlarged prostate is a common cause. It is not usually serious, but it does keep you from emptying your bladder. After menopause, women produce less estrogen. This can cause changes in the urinary tract that cause you to have to go to the bathroom more often.

Aging is not, however, the only contributing factor to nighttime urination. Other causes include chronic urinary tract infections (UTI), drinking large amounts of fluids before bed (especially alcohol or caffeinated drinks), and taking prescription medications that exaggerate urination (diuretics). Some medical conditions like diabetes or liver failure can also cause your body to make too much urine.

Sometimes it is not the urge to go to the bathroom that causes you to wake up but rather restless leg syndrome, chronic pain, hot flashes or sleep apnea that might actually be the culprit in awakening you. Of course, once you are awake, you will feel the need to go to the bathroom. Sometimes by addressing those types of problems you can even solve the nighttime urination issue as well.

As you get older you may accept the new normal of getting up to go to the bathroom at night, but you should also discuss it with your doctor. There are treatment options available depending on the underlying cause. If you have tried to control the frequent trips to the bathroom on your own and it continues to worsen, you should definitely consult your doctor. If you have to go to the bathroom more than twice during your six to eight hours of sleep, you may have a condition called nocturia. Serious conditions such as bladder or prostate cancer could be the cause.

Millions of women in America suffer from hormonal imbalance, whether it is due to menopause or premenstrual symptoms (PMS). As women age, their levels of key hormones fluctuate or decrease. One treatment used to aid in replacing these is Testosterone hormone pellet therapy or topical testosterone cream.

Testosterone is important in both males and females for proper body function. Testosterone increases sexual interest and sense of emotional well-being, increases muscle mass and strength, helps maintain memory and keep skin from sagging, helps maintain bone density, and decreases excess body fat. Some ways to naturally improve libido, without supplementing testosterone, include decreasing calorie and increasing protein intake, exercising properly, getting adequate sleep, losing weight, and reducing stress levels.
Too much testosterone can cause acne, irritability, and (in extreme cases) facial hair growth and male pattern baldness in women.

Hormones are special chemicals created in the body’s glands, and they control many functions in the body. Compounded bioidentical hormones are chemically processed from precursors found in yam or soy plants to have exactly the same chemical structure as hormones produced by the human body. The benefits of bioidentical hormones include fewer side effects versus synthetic derivatives, individualized therapy, and positive benefits of estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone balance.

Hormone pellet therapy is recommended for women with hormone imbalances who want to feel healthier and younger than they have in years. This in office therapy works by inserting small pellets beneath the skin that release small doses into your system over the next three to four months. The pellet delivery system is designed to provide a steady stream of hormones. Most women enjoy the benefit of getting the pellet implant and then being able to go on with their busy lives.

Remember some of these problems like gaining weight, suffering from memory fog, night sweats, decreased libido and hot flashes are natural signs of the aging process, however, that doesn’t mean you should have to live with the pain and discomfort caused by growing older. The good news is that hormone loss and imbalances are correctable and hormone pellet therapy could be your solution.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is much more common than you may think! You are not the only one who deals with this. In fact, studies show that it affects half of men over 40 and that almost all men will suffer from ED at one time or another. ED is defined as the inability to get or maintain an erection, which can lead to stress, strain on your relationships and self-confidence issues.

The important thing for both you and your partner to remember is that it is not a reason to freak out. Being overly concerned about an ED episode will just add more anxiety and the erectile dysfunction will be more likely to continue. You need to understand that it could potentially be an isolated incident. However, if it does continue to occur you should not just ignore it and hope it will go away on its own.

There are many causes of ED, and the most common is vascular disease especially in men over 50. It can also be a side effect of medications or other chronic health issues. While ED is very rarely just all “in your head,” depression and anxiety can be an underlying contributor. Low testosterone can also affect your ability to get an erection. That is why it is so important to consult your doctor.

The treatment for ED depends on the cause. After your diagnosis, your doctor can help you navigate various ED treatment options. Up to seventy percent of men experiencing erectile dysfunction show improvement with the use of prescription drugs. Testosterone therapies are available for men with ED related to low testosterone. Sometimes lifestyle changes such as exercise and a healthier diet can improve or prevent ED. In rare cases, surgery may be a consideration.

So in the heat of the moment, what you need to know if you are having trouble achieving or maintaining an erection is: RELAX! Communicate what is happening and how you are feeling with your partner. Don’t worry that your sex life is over. However, if your ED is more than just a one-time event there are many treatment options available. Never be embarrassed or afraid to share your erectile dysfunction concerns with your doctor.

About one in six men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Screening for prostate cancer is an important part of taking care of your health in 2019. This is definitely not something that is only for men who are at higher risk.

Starting at age 45, men should have a baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This will measure the level of a protein produced by the prostate that circulates in a man’s blood. If your PSA level is higher, there is a reason for concern and more testing. In some cases, this can be a sign of BPH, but in other cases, this can mean there is prostate cancer. If the PSA level is normal, you should see your doctor for another PSA test at age 50.

For men who are 50 and older, you should have an annual PSA test. Screenings are so important because there are not always signs of prostate cancer. A screening is the best way to detect prostate cancer early. Thankfully, most cases of prostate cancer are caught before they spread to other areas of the body. You are definitely on the right track to want to get screened and take better care of your health. You’ll want to make an appointment with a urologist for a screening if you have never had one before.